Gods and Monsters
by imseveninchestall
Summary: Libby Dugan, a technopath and member of the X-Men, temporarily joins the Avengers to help stop Loki from taking over the world. Or, does she?
1. I'm high on believing

**May 2010**

**New Mexico**

The summer breeze whisked across the normally baron desert wasteland. However, something strange was going on. Tarps were pulled up, squaring up around one small area. Around the tarps, wire fences were constructed to keep intruders away. Every ten minutes, a truck would drive between the tarp and fence, patrolling for anyone who got too close. The locals were told it was radiation, but none of them knew what was _really_ going on.

The sun was high in the sky when a dark blue convertible drove up to the unguarded fence. In the driver's seat, a young-woman with brown hair and sunglass sat. In the passenger's seat, a man sat with his head down. His long, black hair gelled back and had sunglasses hiding his eyes. In his hand, he held a smartphone and tapped at the screen as he played a game. The woman flicked a cigarette out into the desert around her and waved her hand. The fence opened for them.

A man in black suit ran towards them at the sound of the gate opening. He stopped when he saw the car, and the driver. He slowly turned back the way he came and grumbly walked back inside the tarp-walls.

"I love being able to do that," the woman smiled as she parked her car. She looked at the pale man sitting next to her and opened her mouth to ask him a question, then shook her head and laughed. "Never mind, I'll be right back."

He didn't respond. She grabbed a vanilla folder from the back and extended her arm as she walked towards the front tarp-door. The keys in the ignition flew towards her palm. Her lanyard was silver and dark blue. There were four keys hanging on the ring, along with two flash drives. One was red, with a blood smear on the metallic USB port. The other was a dark blue. She swung the keys in her head and quietly hummed.

The brown-haired woman lifted her sunglasses and rested them on the top of her head as she walked inside the tarp-walls. Her brown eyes were calm and patient as she weaved her way through to the center.

"Philoctetes, it's been too long," she greeted with a warm, but mischievous, grin. The entire room filled with government agents turned to face her and starred.

"Libby," Agent Phil Coulson said with a grimace. "What are you doing here?"

"It's been about six-and-a-half months, right?" she asked as she walked towards him. The agents in her path quickly parted and avoided eye contact with her.

"So what brought you out of hiding?" Phil asked. He left his pen on the desk as he turned towards her and took a half step in her direction.

"Oh, I'm putting together my team for my new assignment," she said. "And it just so happens that two of the people I want are here. Oh, and Phil, you need to do something for me."

"How much trouble am I going to get into for this?"  
>"Non," she answered with a laugh. "Just give Jane Foster back the things you stole."<p>

"Borrowed. And no," Phil said.

"If you're borrowing it you should return it."

"I'm not done with it yet," he told her.

"I'll supply you with anything you need to replace her stuff," Libby told him. "Now give it back."

"I can't do that. I've got orders-"

"Fuck your orders," she told him. "Either give Jane Foster back her things in the next twenty-four hours, or I'll have you demoted to _Wal-Mart Store Greeter_. Understand?"

Phil's eyes were wide, and he nodded.

"I'll get right on that," he told her before turning away.

"Mm. Oh, and give this to Artemis," she handed Phil the vanilla envelope in her hand.

"So you want him on your team?" Phil asked.

"Oui," she said. "I'd prefer to have a team of people already know most of my backstory so I don't have constantly explain myself."

"I know your backstory."

"Patches won't let me have you," she said. "He wants you to go back to the Iron Man case when this is over."

"Who knows how long that'll take," Phil looked back to the screen. "Can you take a look at what we've got here?" She grinned.

"I suppose," she quickly removed her grin as Phil led her through the maze of tarps. One had a giant whole in the middle, and a clear mud-path trailing down. "How bad was the rain last night?"

"I've seen worse."

"Looks like you had company."

"Nothing we couldn't handle."

"Get a name?" she asked.

"Like you already don't know."

"Humor me," she laughed. They walked across the dirt and mud towards a hammer, gut in ground.

"Donald Blake."

"It's a fake," she told him.

"We figured as much."

"So, anything special about it?" she asked him. They stopped in front of the hammer. Phil watched as she circled it, her eyes carefully observing. Her hand motioned towards the handle, but she didn't touch it.

"It won't budge for anyone, or thing. You want to give it a try?" he asked her. She grinned. A mischievous look danced in her eyes as her hand reached towards the handle. Her fingers wrapped around it and she closed her eyes and slowly inhaled.

Phil watched her arm relax, and then a slight twitch of her arm. He wasn't sure if the hammer moved or not – though he thought he saw the slightest movement.

"No," she told him. "Not even me. These markings are Nordic, they read, '_Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor_.'"

"Who's Thor?" Coulson asked.

"Norse god, son of Odin and Jord or Gaea, according to mythology," she explained as she released her grip on the handle.. "He's the patron god of thunder, and a few other things I don't care to remember."

"What's he supposed to look like?"

"At least six foot tall, usually he's taller, and he's supposed to have a red beard," Libby said. "It's symbolic for his temper."

"Oh."

"So not your guy?"

"No."

"Well, you never know," she shrugged.

"So does this come from the same place as the Tesseract?"

"Hypothetically," Libby said. "It depends on the context."

"That doesn't help me."

"I tried," she said with a laugh. She looked at the hammer one last time before she slid her sunglasses back down her face and walked away. "Make sure you give that folder to Artemis. I need him on my team."

"What if he says no?" Phil took quick strides to catch up with her.

"Philoctetes, you should know better than anyone that no one says no to me."

She left him in her shadow as her pace quickened. She swung her lanyard as she walked and quietly hummed. Heads turned as she walked by, but she ignored them.

The heat warmed her skin as she stepped back out onto the dessert. Her passenger looked up when she walked past.

"Everything go well?" he asked.

"Perfectly," she jumped inside and grinned as she started the car. "You ready for this?"

"No."

"I don't think you have much of a choice," she told him. "Wanna ooga chacka?" The song had already started to play before he responded. He waited a moment before they both started singing along.

"I can't stop this feeling, deep inside of me," they sang together as Libby drove them away. They looked at each other as they sang the next line, "Girl you just don't realize what you do to me." They both smiled – a real, happy smile. "When you hold me, in your arms so tight you let me know, everything's alright. Iii-"

_Whoosh!_

Libby swerved the car as a circular dust storm appeared in front of her. Her glasses slid down her nose, almost off her face. The passenger gripped tightly onto the door, trying not to fall onto Libby.

"What the actual fuck?" she said, staring at the dust as it started to settle. She could make out four figures. When the dust started to clear, and the duo could see their faces, she quietly murmured to her passenger, "Talk about perfect timing." Libby pushed her glasses back into place and stood. "Uh, you guys need a ride?" The man beside her slide into further into his seat and tried his best to obscure his face.

The four warriors standing there stared at the car in surprise and shock.

"What is that?" the female asked. Her long, black hair was pulled up in a tight ponytail. Her amour was silver.

"A car," Libby responded.

"Who are you?" the female asked. The male passenger slicked further into his seat.

"Most people call me Libby, and this is a friend. And you…?" she smirked.

"Lady Sif and the Warriors Three," the blond one said.

"Then hope on in. I think I know who you're looking for."

The Warriors Three and Sif carefully climbed into the back. They awkwardly squeezed in the seats, sitting on each other and tried not to accidently stab their friend with their weapons. The four of them jumped in the back as _Hooked on a Feeling_ resumed. It was a tight fight with the four of them in the back, and they all nearly sat on each other. Libby sang along like earlier, but her dark-haired friend kept his head down and said nothing.

"Hooked on a feeling, I'm high on believing that you're in love in me," Libby sang as she drove. She looked to her friend with a grin on her face, and behind her shades her brown eyes were full of mischief.

The four Asgardians in the back held on to the car as she speed down the dessert road. They looked at each other in fear as the wind whipped their hair back and the dust clouded their vision.

Some townies stared at the seven of them in confusion, some in shock. Libby ignored them. Lady Sif and the Warriors Three, on the other hand, looked around at the new scenery.

The volume of the song turned down as Libby said, "Wave to the nice S.H.I.E.L.D. agents!" As they drove past, Libby and her friend in the passenger seat flipped their middle finger and didn't look in the direction of the two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents on the roof.

"Yeah, she just drove by," one of the agents spoke into a walkie. "She's not alone either. Should we follow?"

Libby smirked as the radio turned up again and sang along.

"I said I'm hooked on a feeling and I'm high on believing that you're in love with me," the song faded out as Libby pulled up next to an old motel. "We're here." She looked to the man in her passenger seat and opened her mouth, and again laughed and shook her head. "I'll be right back."

Libby and her passengers in the back filled out. The mutant grabbed the last vanilla folder and held it tightly in her arms. The four Asgardians all stretched their legs and hips, thankful to finally have their personal space back to themselves.

"Are you joining us?" the blond Asgardian, Fandral, asked. Libby's friend shook his head.

"He doesn't talk much," Libby told them as she raised her glasses and rested them on her forehead. "Come on, this way."

The four Asgardians followed Libby to a glass door. They all smiled and picked up their paces when they saw the large silhouette of their dear friend, Thor.

"Friends?!" Thor shouted in shocked happiness. He embraced them in hugs as Libby walked over to Selvig. They side-stepped away from the other's and ignored their conversation.

"Libby, what are you doing here?" Selvig asked her, still in shock about seeing four more Asgardians.

"I heard about what happened and figured I'd help," she told him. "Jane's stuff should be back by tomorrow."

"You didn't have to do that," he told her.

"No, I did," she told him. "Besides, I was on my way into town. I have something for you." She handed him the vanilla folder. "I want to bring you in on an assignment."

Selvig flipped the folder open and skimmed the contents.

"The Tesseract is a thing of legend," he told her. "It's not real."

"No it's not," she told him. "I've seen it. I'm in charge of assembling a team to study it, and I want you. You'd be the lead scientist, and I'm giving you free reign over all over the other scientists you want to help you, as long as their on a S.H.I.E.L.D. approved list."

"But what about my work here?"

"I'll take care of it," she promised. "I want you because I trust you. Think of all the doors you can open for humanity if you take this!"

"I thought you hated humanity."

"Well, generally, oui," she agreed. "But this project could change the future. We'd be doing some serious good here! What do you say?"

"I don't have a choice, do I?"

"You do, but I can't guarantee what'll happen if you say no."

"I'll think about it."

"I'll be in contact with you about your hours and living situation."

"I haven't said yes!"

"Yet," she corrected him with a grin as she walked over and joined the others.

"And who is this tiny person?" Thor asked. He had a wide grin on his face and happiness sparkled in his eyes.

"Libby," she told him. "I'm a friend of Selvig's."

"The technopath-Libby?" Darcy asked. "Wow, I thought you'd be taller."

"Oui, technopath-Libby," the mutant faked a smile as she nodded. "Oui, everyone thinks I'd be taller in person."

"Wow, so you can control technology?" Darcy asked.

"Oui, that's what a technopath means." Jane, Selvig laughed, and Darcy laughed too.

"So like all technology or just-"

"All technology," the mutant nodded as she tried not to roll her eyes. "Nothing is too big or small."

"You helped my friends?" Thor asked her. Libby nodded. "That was kind of you, you did not need to-"

"I was on my way here anyway, it was no trouble," Libby told him. "Selvig, I'll get that information faxed her later today."

"I still haven't given you my answer."

"Which will be a yes," Libby told him with a grin. "You won't regret it, trust me."

"I don't trust you," Selvig told her.

"Well that's your problem," Libby told him with a shrug. "Just really look through it."

"Stubborn little thing isn't she?" Thor reached with his hand to ruffle the mutant's dark brown hair. Libby caught his wrist with her hand. Her grip was tight enough for Thor to release that she was being serious, but not enough to harm. Her eyes were dark, and they burned into his blue eyes.

"Don't. Touch. My. Hair," the mutant released his wrist and her hand returned to her side. "I hate it when people touch my hair." She crossed her arms over her chest. "What time is it?"

"Almost four, why?" Jane asked. "You have somewhere to be?"

"Uh, oui," Libby nodded. "Selvig, let me know when you read through that file. Oh, and Thor," she said as walked away from them. Her hand pulled open the door, while she turned her body to face him and pushed her sunglasses down over her eyes. "Good luck today, you'll need it."

* * *

><p><strong>I've published a version on this story on Mibba, but this one will be... well different. So here's the playlist I went ahead and made, go ahead and check it out: www .8tracks im7inchestallgods-and-monsters-fanfic-playlist (remove spaces, as FanFiction likes to eat them)  
><strong>

**And if you'd like to see the outfit I put no detail into you can view that here: www .polyvore im_high_on_believing_that/set?id=145547003 (again, remove spaces)  
><strong>


	2. Don't do love, don't do friends

**June 2010**

**Westchester County, New York**

Libby was alone as she drove up the driveway of Xaiver's School for Gifted Youngsters. She wore sunglasses with silver frame, a grey tank top, jean shorts with a rip on the left side, and bright blue Converse. She kept her makeup simple – light lipstick, blush, and mascara – and her hair down. When she stopped her convertible, she raised her sunglasses and set them atop her head.

She walked into the school on her toes, and when she opened the door she took a deep breath and smiled.

"Home sweet home," she whispered to herself. The school smelled like pine, a homey scent that reminded Libby of happiness.

"Libs!" Kitty said as she ran down the stairs towards her friend. "You're here!" Piotr followed behind her, and both of them both gave the technopath tight hugs. "Welcome home!"

"It's good to be home, Kitty," Leonora told her friend. "Where is everyone else?"

"Out back, I think," Piotr said. "Ororo's playing a game with them, or something."

"Sounds fun," Libby laughed. "You two wanna go practice or something? Is Bobby still here? We can have a two-on-two."

"Okay that's not fair," Kitty told her with a light laugh.

"How's that not far? You walk through things and Piotr turns into a giant metal man."

"Yeah but the stuff you and Bobby can do is like super cool and rad and-"

"I won't use my mutation," Libby offered.

"It's not really practice if you're not using your mutation," Piotr told her. "When was the last time you practiced _with_ your mutation?"

"Last week," she told them. "Honestly. Jonny came over and we went at it for a while."

"Practicing you mutation or sex?" Kitty asked.

"Both," Libby shrugged. "Why are you giving me that look?"

"What look?" Kitty asked.

"The look of sheer and utter disappointment," the technopath answered.

"I'm not looking at you like that," Kitty lied.

"Remember who you're talking to, Kitty, I _know_ when someone is looking at me with sheer and utter disappointment."

"Libby, make your own decisions and whatever, but Jonny… he's bad news."

"I can handle Jonny," Libby reassured her friend.

"Let's not talk about this now," Pietro said. "Okay? Bobby's gotta be around here somewhere."

"Fine," Libby rolled her eyes. "What do you two want to do?"

"Can't we just chill, like we used to?" Kitty asked. "Before everything got fucked up." Libby shrugged.

"What about you Metalhead?" Libby asked Pietro. "What do you want to do?"

"We can just… walk around and catch up," he said as he threw his left arm around Libby's shoulders and his right arm around Kitty's. "It's been a couple months since we've seen you. What's changed?"

"Oh, nothing much," Libby shrugged. "I have an interview for a job next week, and my team for a new project I'm working on is almost done."

"Why do you need a job? You have plenty of money," Kitty said as the three of them walked through the school, towards the back door.

"I would like to replenish my bank account," the technopath answered. "And Fury told me to stay away from this guy, and I wanna know why he thinks that."

"Can't you just ask him that?" Kitty asked.

"I've tried, he's cartwheeled around the subject every time," the brunette answered. "I figured this way I'd get some extra cash, find out what Fury is hiding from me while pissing him off at the same time."

"Wouldn't it just be easier to hack into his computer and find out that way?" Kitty asked. She hated that Libby would do things like this – doing the opposite of whatever she was told to do, or not to do. She thought it was incredibly childish of her.

"Whatever he's hiding isn't on any hard drive, at least not one that I've found," the technopath answered.

"Who are you planning on working for anyway?" Pietro asked.

"Tony Stark," Libby answered bluntly. "He has an assistant position opened and-"

"An assistant? Libby, that's beneath you," Kitty groaned. "You can do much better than just an assistant."

"It's not permanent," Libby explained. "It's just till I figure out what Fury's hiding, then I'm quitting."

"Just like that?" Kitty asked.

"Just like that," the technopath nodded. "At the most, I'll work for him for a year."

"Isn't Stark that guy that created the Iron Man suit and has been all over the news recently? Didn't some other guy copy his work and a bunch of other shit went down and people got hurt and a lot of property got destroyed?" Pietro asked.

"Oui," Libby nodded. "But he's recently started doing a lot of research on clean energy, which is really cool. And he's Iron Man, which is pretty badass."

"You're going to steal all the paperwork he has on his suit, aren't you?" Kitty asked with a sigh.

"I don't have to steal that," Libby laughed as she shook as her head. "If I wanted his blueprints for the Iron Man suit, or the actual suit, I'd just take it. I wouldn't need to work for him to steal it."

"Libby, do you still wonder why people think you're apart of the Brotherhood?"

"Oui."

"It's because you say things like that!" Kitty explained. "When you say stuff like, 'Oh, if I wanted it I'd just take it.'"

"But I am apart of the Brotherhood," Libby admitted. "Well, not me as in _Libby_ me, but, you know-"

"Yes, we know," Kitty said as she rolled here eyes. "You're alter ego."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"Because when you're her, you're a bad person," Kitty pulled herself away from the others. "Don't deny it, you know you are."

"I do it because I have to, not because I want to," Libby yanked herself away from Pietro as well. Her hands clenched in fists at her sides.

"I don't even know why you're still here, wouldn't you rather be with the members of the Brotherhood? Or, I don't know, plotting your revenge against your father?"

"He is _not_ my father," Libby's voice deepened, and his eyes burned into Kitty's blue ones. The technopath's almond-shaped brown eyes were dark, and in them a burning, consuming flame raged.

A minute or two passed before Kitty finally looked away. The flame in Libby's eyes died down, and her fists unclenched while she smirked in victory.

"I think you should go," Kitty said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I think I should too," Libby agreed. "Pietro, have a lovely day. Kitty." Libby sharply turned on her feet and walked back the way she came. When she got further out of the way, she heard Pietro say to Kitty, "You had to bring up _him_, didn't you?"

"Libs, when'd you get here?" the technopath stopped when she saw Bobby standing at the foot of the stairs. He embraced her in one of his signature cold hugs. Libby normally hated the cold, but Bobby's hugs were always a welcome.

"Not too long ago," she told him as she buried her nose in his chest. "I'm leaving now."

"But you just got here," Bobby whined.

"Come with me," Libby said.

"What?"

"Come with me," she repeated. "It doesn't have to be forever. Just… for now."

"Sure," Bobby said with a shrug and a smile. Libby giggled as she leaned up and quickly kissed him.

"Allons," she said with a grin, her lips lingering over his. Their noses brushed up against each other before they separated and walked out of the school hand-in-hand.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: (forgot to add this to the last chapter) I do not claim to own any characters/creations by Marvel or Marvel Studios, I only claim Libby and any other original characters.**

**Here's the link to this story's playlist: www .8tracks im7inchestall/gods-and-monsters-fanfic-playlist (remove the spaces)  
><strong>

**And the outfit can be found here: www .polyvore cgi/set?id=145728188 (remove spaces)  
><strong>

**(And on another note, every time I go back and add the links the site that the outfit/playlist are on never show, at least on my browser when I preview it, so the playlist is always on [which is free to use, you don't need a profile to listen... at least I don't think so, but it's still free!] and the outfits will always be on [which is also free].)**


	3. I just wanna make a change

**The following week**

**Home of Tony Stark**

"How much longer is this going to take?" Tony complained.

"As long as it takes," Pepper explained. "Have you liked anyone we've talked to so far?"

"Uh, now many people have we talked to?"

"Tony!" Pepper groaned. "This is important. I can't be both your assistant and be the CEO of Stark Industries, which is what _you're_ supposed to do-"

"Which I did because I thought I was dying and needed a successor, which is still you by the way."

"Tony you need a new assistant, and it can't be me."

"Well why can't you do both?"

"Because I can't be in two places at once," Pepper explained. "Now we have one more person for today, a Libby Dugan. She's twenty-four, and wow, an impressive I.Q. Look at that, it's even higher than your's."

"What?" Tony leaned forward as he took the mutant's resume from his girlfriend. "That's not possible. How is her I.Q. this high?"

"I don't know, how is your's?"

"Why would someone who went to Harvard and has an I.Q. this high want to be an assistant?" Tony asked.

"I don't know Tony, why don't you ask her when she gets here," Pepper rolled her eyes. "And why she specialized in civil law."

The pair looked up when they heard the front door open. Happy escorted a short woman, 5'5", with brown hair that went to the middle of her back. She wore a dark green, lacey dress with a thin, brown belt, leather wedge shoes, and bright red lipstick. She paired the outfit with a cold chain necklace, a gold cuff she wore on her left arm, and a ring on her right ring finger. It was gold snake wrapped around the flesh of her finger. A silver brief case rolled on the ground behind her. Tony and Pepper assumed the brunette was pulling it behind her.

"Mr. Stark, Ms. Pepper, Ms. Libby Dugan," Happy introduced blandly.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Dugan," Pepper said politely. "Have a seat, please."

"Call me Libby," Libby said as she sat down. Her silver brief case lifted into the hair and floated onto the table. Tony and Pepper blinked at her.

"Di-did your brief case just-" Tony asked, perplexed.

"Oui," Libby said. "I'm a technopath, that's not going to be a problem is it?"

"No," Tony shook his head. "At least, as long as you don't turn off my arc reactor."

"Well I promise to not turn off your arc reactor," the mutant promised.

"So, Libby, why are you here?" Pepper asked. "I mean, why are you here, at this interview?"

"I've heard that Tony is getting into clean energy and I thought that being a technopath could help with that."

"But _why_?" Pepper asked. "You have quite an impressive GPA, and you went to Harvard-"

"Going to Harvard isn't that impressive," Libby told him. "Really, it wasn't difficult or anything."

"And you're trained in-"

"Karate, jujutsu, and judu are wait I specialize in, but I know a few other fighting styles, not that any of that will come in handy as your assistant, of course, but… it never hurts to be prepared," Libby laughed, mostly to herself. "I also speak English, French, Russian, Spanish, Dutch, Japanese, Portuguese, Greek, code-"

"Code? Like what kind of code?" Tony asked.

"Like HTML code," the mutant explained. "Though I could probably crack other codes too, if I needed to."

"I doubt you'll need to," Pepper said. "If you're hired, you'll mostly arrange Tony's schedule, though I can't imagine how complicated that'll be now that he's no longer CEO, getting coffee, bringing him things-"

"But no handing," Tony added. "I don't like things being handed to me."

"That's fine."

"So what all can you do, with your mutation?" Tony asked. He sat on the edge of his seat and his brown eyes suddenly widened.

"Anything involving technology," the mutant explained. "I think, putting the job aside, I'd be incredibly helpful to you, especially if you plan on really getting into clean energy."

"You're hired," Tony suddenly said. Libby blinked.

"What?" the mutant asked.

"You're hired."

"Tony, we haven't finished the interview yet. You can't hire her before the interview is completed. And what about the other candidates?"

"Well I just did," Tony told his girlfriend. "She's the only one that's managed to keep my attention longer than a minute, so she's hired. End of story."

"Wow, merci," Libby sighed.

"Follow me, Libby, I'll give you the tour," Tony stood.

"No, no no," Pepper stood to her feet. "She is over-qualified! Way over-qualified. And she's, how old are you? Can you even legally drink?"

"Twenty-four, and that should be on the resume." Libby answered.

"It was," Tony pointed out.

"But being underage never stopped me then," the mutant added.

"I like her," Tony added. "Happy, I need you to go over the security detail with Ms. Dugan-"

"Libby," the mutant said as she closed her eyes. "Se il vous plaît."

"What'd she say?" Tony's face scrunched.

"Please," Pepper answered. "Before you give her the tour, Happy needs to go over security details and get you a passcode-"

"I won't need a passcode," Libby told her. "Technopath, remember? I can go over your security info and beef everything up for you. It won't take too long, I can set Penelope on it right away."

"Penelope?" Tony asked.

"She's my version of Jarvis, and she should be finishing installing… now."

_"__Nice to meet you, Tony Stark, Pepper Potts. I'm Penelope-"_

_ "__Uh, Sir it seems that something's been added to the system," _Jarvis interrupted.

_"__Uh, yeah. Me," _Penelope laughed. _"Call me P, or Penelope or whatever you want. Anyway, reporting for duty." _

"I hope you don't mind," Libby said as she stood. "Penelope goes wherever I goes, she helps me keep an eye on things. She's quite useful. She can do everything Jarvis can do."

"Sure, she's not gonna hack and steal anything, is she?" Tony asked.

_"__No, Sir,"_ Penelope responded. _"Your secrets are my secrets."_

_ "__You are not a real person; you can't have any secrets," _Jarvis added.

_"__I have Libby's secrets, and the U.S. government's," _Penelope curtly responded. _"I'm sure I can handle Tony's secrets too."_

"You have access to government information?" Tony asked, with a scrunched face.

"Technopath," Libby reminded him yet again. "I, uh, in my youth I was quite curious and rebellious, so yes."

"What all do you know?" Tony asked.

"Everything."

"Everything?"

"Everything."

"Have you gotten-"

"In trouble for knowing what I know?" Libby asked as she crossed her legs. "Yes, couple times. But I always get out of it."

"Always?"

"Always," the mutant smirked. "Now, about that tour?"

V

Tony and Libby laughed as they walked down the steps towards Tony's lab.

"Okay, you've got to share what you know."

"Know about what?" the mutant played dumb.

"All of those government secrets you know," Tony explained. He went to punch in his code, but the door opened. He turned his head back to the mutant, who was smirking. "Technopath, I forgot."

"I could…" she mused as she followed him into his lab. "But that'd breaking at least a dozen laws."

"Like you care about any laws," Tony snorted.

"You're right, I don't," Libby shrugged. "So what's to stop me from telling you all of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s secrets?"

"You know about S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

"Tony, darling, I told you. I know everything," Libby sighed dramatically. "Well, that and…"

"And…?"

"And given your experience with S.H.I. ., I didn't want to tell you, but-"

"You work for Fury, don't you?" Tony shook his head.

"Not like Anastasia or Philoctetes," Libby crossed her arms over her chest.

"Who?"

"Agents Romanoff and Coulson," Libby restated. "I give everyone I know nicknames, it's a thing. Anyway, I'm… not a technically agent. Everything I do is under the books."

"Why?" Tony crossed his arms over his chest.

"Do you remember the San Fransco incident?"

"Kinda."

Libby waved her hand, and holograms of newspaper headlines and dark photos appeared.

"A couple years back, a 'cure' for mutants was developed," Libby began. "There were sides, of course, but for me it was… real hard. I had friends who were on both sides, the peaceful side and nonpeaceful side."

"You went with the later, didn't you?" Tony asked.

"For a time," Libby nodded. The headlines changed, Tony didn't bother paying attention to them. "At the last minute, I switched. But by then… well, it was too late. For the most part, at least. I took the blame, for most of it, so none of friends would go to prison… or worse. The Council wanted to be discreet, given the circumstances. So everything I do is, well, need-to-know."

"And I'm your next assignment."

"Non," Libby quickly said. The holograms disappeared. "Fury, well... actually he forbade me for taking your assignment. I wanted to find out why… and earn some extra cash."

"And that's the only reason why you applied?"

"Oui," Libby nodded. "I can't… I can't figure out why he was so… persistent. There's only one reason I can think of, and… well, it's not possible."

"What reason is that?" Tony asked.

"No, it's silly," Libby shook her head as she walked around and stood across from him. Her head slowly turned, and Tony could see her brain working. Racking. At something, but he didn't know what.

"Tell me. I'm curious."

"The only explanation is… that you're my father."

"That is ridiculous."

"Tell me about it," Libby sighed. "You're way to young to be my father, my real father that is."

"How old are you, again?"

"Twenty-four."

"No, not really."

"Uh, yeah, really," Libby told him as she laughed. "My mother likes older men. And twenty-four years ago, or twenty-five, years, you would've been younger than my mother."

"Oh," Tony said. "Well…"

"What about your dad?"

"Are you telling me that you could be my half-sister?"

"I don't know, you knew your father better than I did."

"That's debatable," Tony told her. "My father never once showed me an once of affection in his entire life, did you know that? He shipped me off the moment he could."

"Tell me about it," the two of them sat on barstools across from each other. "He demanded I go to Harvard, instead of going a better law school that was in the same state. Just to make sure I was away… But I didn't get the law degree for me."

"You didn't? So you didn't want to go to law school?"

"Non," she shook her head. "I wanted to go to Juilliard, that was my first choice. Or MIT, that's what my mom wanted at least."

"I went to MIT."

"I knew that," Libby told him.

"So you don't get along with your father?"

"He's not my father," Libby gritted her teeth.

"Sorry, didn't know the issue was… that serious."

The mutant closed her eyes.

"Non, you didn't know," she said as she reopened her eyes. Tony felt like a fire inside her was calming. "And non, we… my step-father and I have never gotten along. But, enough of that. Back to me working for S.H.I.E.L.D."

"So how long are you working for them?"

"Oh, by now… for the next seventy years or if I help stop the next biggest threat against the world… so long as the Brotherhood isn't involved."

"Are you still involved, with the Brotherhood?"

"No," she lied. "No I burnt that bridge a long time ago."

"Probably for the best," Tony said. "I'll help you find out why Fury doesn't want us meeting."

"You don't have to do that."

"No, I'm just as curious as you are."

Libby laughed. She turned in circle, and then held out her hand.

"Then we're partners."

"I'd drink to that."

* * *

><p><strong>Note: I've done a lot of research trying to figure out what Tony's I.Q. is. And I didn't find a definitive answer, only that it was it really high. I figured the best thing to do is just play off that with Libby's. <strong>

**Anyway, here's the playlist: www .8tracks im7inchestall/gods-and-monsters-fanfic-playlist (remove the spaces, it's the only way I've found thus far to get the whole link to show without me having to go back and edit the chapter twelve times.)  
><strong>

**And here's Libby's outfit: www .polyvore cgi/set?id=146827739 (remove the spaces, for the same reason as above)  
><strong>


	4. Help me make the most of freedom

**August 21, 2010**

**Malibu, California**

"Happy birthday," Tony greeted Libby at the sight of her. She walked into his home wearing a black t-shit with the words, "Time to dance on the table," in blocks of white text and blue leather pants. She paired the outfit with combat boots and a light blue beanie. She had gotten a manicure done the day before, and her nails were a vibrant blue.

"Merci," she said with a smile.

"Are you ready for the party tonight?"

"I've told you before, and I'll tell you again, you don't _have_ to throw me a birthday party," the mutant told him.

"Nonsense, you're part of the family now," Tony told her. "Besides, I'll take any excuse I can get to throw a party."

"Well then I'm glad my birthday can be used to your advantage," she told him with a grin. Inside her heart tugged, and her stomach churned. Her birthday had never been a celebratory event, but she didn't know how to explain that to Tony.

"Tony how many times have I told you not to leave your underwear in the- Oh, Libby. You're early," Pepper's back straightened at the sight of the mutant.

"Good morning Pepper," Libby said, with a mocking bow.

"Ladies, please try to get along today," Tony said. "It's Libby's birthday."

"And we're throwing the party," Pepper rolled her eyes. "Just… try not to trash the place. Last time Tony threw a party one of the Iron Man suits was stolen and we had to renovate the entire house."

"That was not my fault," Tony defended.

"You got in a fight with your best friend because you wouldn't stop showing off!"

"I was trying to have a good time because I was dying."

"Which you neglected to tell me."

"I was going to tell you!"

"As much as I love to listen in on these conversations," Libby interrupted. "We, as in Tony and I, have a party to plan. Wanna come with me to get food?"

"Doesn't that require work?"

"Tony, I told you, I burn water," Libby rolled her eyes. "We're going to pick it up, from the restaurant. Remember? I ordered like twenty pizzas."

"What kind of party are you having?" Pepper asked with a scrunched face.

"My kind," Libby answered. "The bar is stocked with all the booze we'll need, and some non-alcoholic beverages for those wishing to not drink. And pizza. Plenty of New York style pizza."

"Well then don't get any sauce on the couch," Pepper demanded. "Or garlic."

"We'll try," Libby laughed. "Do you need me to get you anything while I'm out? Or before the party starts?"

"No, I'll get it taken care of," Pepper answered and then straightened her jacket. "Good luck with the party. I'll see you when I get back tonight. And try not to drink too much." She quickly kissed Tony before leaving the two brunettes alone.

"I get this feeling that she doesn't like me much," Libby said as she walked over to Tony.

"She still thinks I should've hired someone else," Tony said. "But I like you."

"I like you too," she told him.

"Any closer to figuring out what Fury was keeping from you?"

"No," she shook her head.

"Maybe we should have a blood test done."

"What?" she asked him, her head sharply turning towards him.

"Maybe its time to see if we really are related," Tony shrugged. "You can't tell me you haven't thought about it."

"Tony I have to got the pizzas," Libby turned to walk away.

"So you've never stopped to think why we look so much alike? Or why we're alike in general?" Tony followed her. Libby paused and closed her eyes. Her hands clenched at her sides.

"Tony, please," Libby asked, her voice cracking. "We can have this conversation any other day but not today. Not on my birthday."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want to talk about this today," she told him. "Bein? I just want to get the food and drink and pretend to be happy it's my birthday. Bien? Bien."

"Libby wait!" Tony chased after her. "Can we talk about this?"

"There's nothing to talk about!" she told him as she threw her hands in the air and turned. "Honestly! Tony just drop it!"

Tony caught up to her and grabbed her arm.

"What harm could it do?" he asked her.

"What harm?" she asked, her voice breaking again as she turned. "Tony, if… if we're related then everything will change."

"What are you talking about?"

"I just… Tony, I don't know how to explain this to you, but I… I hate my birthday."

"Why?"

"Because I just do, okay?" she said. "My birthday has never meant much to me, and I doubt it ever will. So I'll drink and pretend that I can get drunk and try to forget that it's my birthday, but it won't happen. So can we please just get this day over with?"

"I had no idea you felt that way."

"That's my fault," she admitted. "I should've told you." She fixed her shirt and dried the tear that was just starting to fall from her eye. "Now, are you coming with me to get my twenty-six pizzas or not?" The two of them looked at each other and grinned, and for a moment they both had forgotten the conversation they just had.

But that was only for a moment. One short, bittersweet moment that left as quickly as it came. But the two of them pretended that the moment lasted longer than what it had – much longer.

V

"Where have the two of you been?" Happy demanded as Libby and pulled her convertible back into the drive-way. Two piles of pizzas were stacked in the backseat, and Libby pulled down her shades and stared at him.

"Getting food for my guests," Libby responded. "I can take care of both of us."

"With all due respect-"

"Happy, relax," Tony told him, "And help us carry in all this pizza."

Happy agreed, and he cursed under his breath as he walked towards the mutant's car.

"Why did you get so many?" Happy grumbled.

"Twenty-six, because that's how old I am today," Libby answered. "And I doubt we have enough, Pietro will probably eat two of these by himself."

"That's the big one, right?"

"Oui," the mutant rolled her eyes.

"Come on, we've got company," Tony said, a handful of pizza boxes in his arms.

Libby was the first one in the door, and she smiled, really smiled, and Tony was surprised to hear a screeching noise come from her.

"Bobby!" the technopath squealed when she saw her friend.

"Libby!" Bobby turned and greeted his old friend in a tight hug.

"Happy birthday," he kissed the top of her head as he held her. "How've you been?"

"Thanks B," she said. "Eh… I'm not sure yet."

"Did you go visit him today?" Bobby asked, quietly. Tony ducked his head as he carried in an armful of pizza boxes. A muscular man nearly a foot taller than Tony walked towards him.

"Here, let me help you with that," the man said. Tony guessed this was Piotr.

"Thanks," Tony gladly handed the stack of pizza boxes in his arms to the taller man. "You're Piotr, right?"

"Yeah," Piotr nodded. "Where do you want me to put all this?"

"Uh, the kitchen. Happy, can you show him?" Tony said. He watched the rest of the mutant guests crowd around the birthday girl, each congratulating her and giving her a hug.

"Uh, Tony, I'd like you to meet the X-Men," Libby stepped away from her guests and faced her boss. "X-Men, meet Tony Stark. AKA, Iron Man."

"Well what are we waiting for?" Tony grinned as he held out his arms. "Let's get this party started!"

On cue, AC/DC started. Tony was surprised that Libby hadn't cracked up the volume, but instead left it a volume where it was loud enough, but not loud enough to drown out conversations.

"Anyone else hungry? Because I'm starving," Libby loudly spoke. Everyone who heard her laughed, and the birthday girl lead them to kitchen.

Tony followed. One of the X-Men approached him and walked beside him, staying on the edge of the crowd just like he was. Her skin was dark, and she had short, white hair. She wore a navy blue, button-up blouse and jeans.

"Thank you for hosting the party," she said. "I'm sure Libby really appreciates it, even if she probably won't say it."

"It's no problem," Tony told her. "You're… Storm, right?"

"Yes. But please, call me Ororo," she said. "I assume she told you about us."

"That you're all mutants?" Tony asked. "Yes, she did. You're the one that controls the weather, aren't you?"

"Yes," Ororo nodded, a slight grin on her face. "You're very perceptive."

"Well you're name was a big give away," Tony said. "You're mutant names are… well, they get straight to the point, don't they?"

"And your's doesn't?" Ororo asked him with a small chuckle.

"Point taken," he nodded. "So… how long have you known Libby?"

"Oh, since she was… twelve, I think," Ororo said as they took their spots at the end of the line. "It was the summer of '98."

"Yeah, twelve," Tony nodded. "Almost thirteen. Was she… Has she always been like this?"

"Like what?" Ororo asked.

"Guarded," Tony answered. "Secretive. You know."

"In a different way," Ororo said. "That was… a long time ago. She was a different person then."

"Has she always been so… bitter on her birthday?" Tony asked.

"No," Ororo answered. Tony smiled before he heard the end, and regretted it. "She used to be sad."

"Oh… Do you know why?" Tony asked. He saw Ororo's shoulders tense, and he thought he saw the same from the mutants in front of them.

"Yes," she slowly nodded. "But I won't tell you."

"Can I ask why?"

"You can, but I won't answer," Ororo answered. "It's Libby's secret to share, not mine."

"Can I get a hint?" Tony as the line moved. He hadn't noticed it had moved before, though he they must've since they were now standing in the kitchen.

"Something… horrible happened on her birthday," Ororo answered.

"My ears are burning, who's talking about me?" Libby loudly asked as she made her way over to end of the line. She carried a plate of pizza in her left hand, and a drink in the other. A grin was playing on her face, but both Tony and Ororo saw through it.

"I was just asking Ororo a couple questions about you," Tony admitted.

"Hmm," Libby nodded as she took a sip of her alcoholic beverage. "Found out anything?"

"Not yet," Tony answered. "But I have hopes I find something before the party's over."

"Oh I'm sure you will," Libby said. "And what are the two of you doing at the back of the line?"

"Its fine, Libby," Ororo told her. "Really, we're getting to know each other."

"By talking about me?" Libby asked. "If you wish to, fine. Bobby and I are gonna go take the couch."

"Just don't get any stains on it," Tony told her.

"One, its leather, so it wouldn't really stain. And two, you're starting to sound like Pepper."

"Hey Libs, you coming?" Bobby stood next to her, a red solo cup in one hand and a plate filled with pizza in the other.

"Not particularly at the moment," she answered, and then wriggled her eyebrows.

"Ew, gross," Tony scrunched his face. "Please, don't ever put that image in my brain again."

"I'll try," Libby rolled her eyes. "Follow me, Ice Man."

Tony watched the two mutants walk away and sit on the couch. Pietro soon followed him, except he carried two plates of pizza and his own red solo cup.

"So you know her mother?" Tony asked Ororo.

"I met her a couple times," Ororo nodded. "She's…She's got her own secrets."

"So that's where she gets it from," Tony mused. He watched her, and wondered.

"You could say that," Ororo said as she looked ahead.

"Tony!" Libby called from the living room. "Hurry up! You have to tell the other's about that time we _almost_ burnt the house down!"

Tony grinned, but it didn't feel real. Nothing felt real to him.

And he thought he knew how to fix that.

* * *

><p><strong>In a couple chapters we'll be getting to the events in <em>The Avengers<em>, but before we get to that I wanted to establish Libby's relationship with Thor, Tony, and one other Avenger - to be revealed in chapter six. Then the real fun will begin. **

**In the next chapter Tony confronts Libby. **

**And, as always, the link for story playlist: w ww .8tra cks im7inchestall/gods-and-monsters-fanfic-playlist (remove spaces)**

**And link to Libby's outfit: ww w. polyvore cgi/set?id=147769563 (remove spaces)**


	5. Nothing ever lasts forever

**A few hours later**

Libby stood on the balcony with a cigarette in her right hand. She held her left hand up to the cigarette and snapped her fingers. A spark shot out of her fingers, and the white stick in her hand was lit. She watched it for a moment before she brought it to her lips and took a long drag.

The wind gently blew. Her eyes narrowed as the watched the waves. The mutant closed her eyes as her shoulders relaxed. The sun was setting, and the sky was pink and orange, with tints of blue.

"You've been waiting to get alone all night, haven't you?" she asked.

Tony stepped up next to her. "Those things will kill you."

"No they won't," she retorted with a laugh, then took another drag. "What are you doing out here, Tony?"

"I wanted to talk."

"Not today," she repeated. "In six hours and forty-three minutes we can talk all you want. But not today." She took a drag of her cigarette, and kept her eyes focused on the horizon.

"Libby, let's just do it already," Tony tried to persuade her. "Once we get the test done-"

"There's no proof that we're related," she retorted. "A lot of people look alike and have similar personalities."

Tony shifted on his feet. Libby refused to look at him, or in his direction.

"Are you ever going to tell me what's going on?" he asked her. "Are you ever going to be completely honest with me?"

"Of course I am," she turned her head to him. "It's more complicated than that."

"Then make it uncomplicated."

"It's not that simple," Libby groaned. She looked around, and groaned again. "Fuck." She ground the burning end of her cigarette into the palm of her left hand.

"Libby! What are you doing?" Tony reached for her, but Libby pushed him away. She dropped the extinguished cigarette on the ground. Her flesh was burned, but Tony didn't see her flinch or wince at the pain.

"Burns aren't so bad," she told him as the wound healed. "It usually only hurts at first, but it's tolerable."

"You're full of surprises, I hope you know that."

"Oh you have no idea."

"Are you gonna tell me how you can do that?" Tony asked her. He crossed his arms as he leaned his back against the railing.

"In 2003 I was taken to a facility where they preformed experiments on mutants," she answered coldly. "I was there for two-and-a-half years."

"How'd you get out?"

"I burned the building to the ground," she admitted.

"I bet that was effective."

"Very," she chuckled as she nodded.

"What… kinds of experiments did they do?" Tony hesitantly asked her. "If you don't mind me asking."

"The illegal kind," she responded. "I need another cigarette." She pulled out a box from the inside of her boots and plucked out a cigarette. "You want one?"

"No, I haven't smoked in, well, a long time," Tony answered. Libby shrugged as she held one cigarette in her hand and slipped the half-empty carton back into the inside of her combat boot. She placed the unlit cigarette between her lips, snapped her fingers in front of it, and took a quick drag.

"I usually only have one a week, but my birthday is always the exception," she explained. "I never knew you smoked."

"It was in my teens," he answered. "I stopped… God, I must've been about your age when I stopped."

"How hard was it to quit?" she asked. She took a drag of her cigarette as she turned. She leaned her hip against the balcony, and exhaled the smoke towards the ocean.

"It wasn't too bad," he answered. "I… I uh really wanted to quit, you know?"

"Yeah, I know what you mean," she said as she nodded. "I started smoking when I was seventeen, and I quit a couple months before they took me."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to be better," she answered. "When I first got out, it was really hard. I went about... Five months before I started smoking again."

"Why'd you start up again?" Libby took a drag as Tony talked.

"At the time I had also sworn off drugs, alcohol, and sex. I thought all of those things clouded my judgment someway back then, except I was celibate for a completely different reason."

"How long were you celibate?"

"A little over a year," she answered. "Though after I got out I didn't think I'd ever have sex again. Boy was I wrong."

"If you wanna talk about it-"

"That'll never happen," she scoffed as she turned back and faced the horizon. "That place was… hell. I hate talking about it. Thinking about that place makes me so angry… and scared."

Tony reached up and hesitantly patted her back. Libby focused on the horizon as the burning cigarette hanged between her pointer and middle fingers.

The wind blew again. The mutant's long, brown hair moved with it. The sun had gone down, and the sky was indigo. Satellites and stars, mostly the former, shined in the sky. The temperature had dropped a couple of degrees since they stepped outside, but neither seemed to notice.

"Don't you think your friends are missing you?"

"Oui," she nodded. "But they know I like to be alone sometimes, especially today."

"Are you ever going to tell me why?"

Libby took a drag of her cigarette before she answered. She turned her head towards him.

"One day, I will," she promised.

V

"Libs!" Bobby stood when Libby and Tony came back inside. "Get over here, it's present time."

"If you insist," Libby rolled her eyes as she walked over to her friends. She leaned against the arm of the couch, and all of her friends smiled anxiously. "Okay, who's the unlucky soul that gets to go first?"

"Here," Ororo handed Libby a box wrapped in brown wrapping paper. "I found this for you at an antique shop a couple months ago."

The technopath eyed the white-haired woman suspiciously. She carefully slid her fingers through the cracks in the paper and tugged.

"Please don't tell me you're going to do that with every single present," Tony rolled his eyes as he moved to stand next to Ororo.

"Only with something I think is delicate," Libby responded. "If it's what I think it is."

"You promised you wouldn't do that this year!" Bobby pointed at her.

"Chill, it was an accident," Libby defended herself as she delicately pulled an cardboard box out of the paper. Her brown eyes teared up and she bit her bottom lip as she nestled the box on her lap. Libby's fingers carefully opened the box, and her lips parted in a small o. Slowly, she lifted out a snow globe. In the globe, stood a little girl with a nutcracker in left arm and stood in the arabesque lift position – standing firmly with one foot flat on the ground with the other high in the air, the toe pointing up and away and with her right arm pointing straight ahead. "This is…-"

"From your favorite ballet? Ororo finished. "Yes, it is."

"Wh-where did you find this?" Libby asked, her eyes fixed on the snow globe in her hands. She carefully moved it in a circle to capture every detail.

"I told you, an antique shop," Ororo smiled. "I don't think that shop owner knew what he had."

"I don't think he knew either," Libby agreed. Her fingers carefully slid down to the bottom as she bit her lip again. "Did he tell you what was wrong with the gears inside? It's supposed to play something." The technopath lifted the bottom up so the others could see a silver lever.

"Just that the gears were a little rusty or something, I can't remember," Ororo answered. "But I'm sure it's nothing you can't fix."

Libby looked up at Ororo and grinned. Her eyes blinked away the water in her eyes. "I love it. Merci, beaucoup."

"Happy birthday," Ororo continued to smile. "Let me know when you fix it."

"I'll do it right now-"

"No no no, you have to finish opening the rest of your presents first," Kitty said. "Then you can fix it."

"Fine," Libby rolled her eyes. She carefully put the _Nutcracker Suite _snow globe pack in its box, and then laid it down next to her. "Which one's next?"

"Mine," Bobby said. He pointed at a Spongebob Squarepants bag in the middle of the presents. Marie handed the bag to the technopath, careful to not brush their hands up against each other.

"Ditching the gloves today, Rogue?" Libby asked her friend.

"They're really itchy today," Marie's nose scrunched as she talked. "Do you have another pair I could borrow? I don't wan-"

"Nonsense," Libby shook her head. "You're fine, Rouge. Trust me."

"Aren't you missing a member of the team?" Tony asked. All of the X-Men looked at him – some in sadness, some in confusion. "That guy with adamantium through his whole body?"

"He's sulking in Canada somewhere," Libby answered. "We don't see him often, usually only when it's convenient for the plot." The other mutants nodded in agreement.

"Convenient for what?" Tony blinked.

"Never mind," Libby waved him off as she started to pull the yellow tissue paper out of the bag. The technopath peaked into the bag and laughed. "Mon dieu, you didn't."

"I did," Bobby confirmed, smiling. The others leaned closer to Libby, trying to get in on the joke.

"Bacon band aids, bacon socks, bacon air-freshener, bacon gum," Libby named the objects in the bag as she pulled them out. "Bacon flavored toothpicks, bacon tooth paste, and bacon floss. Are you trying to tell me I have bad breath?"

"I don't think bacon tooth paste will help with that," Tony said. Everyone laughed.

"Happy birthday Libs," Bobby told her.

"Merci, Bobs," she smiled.

"Open mine next!" Kitty handed the technopath her gift – a plain blue bag with grey tissue paper. As Libby started to pull the paper out of the bag, her phone vibrated in her pocket. Her shoulders tensed and her fingers tightly gripped the flimsy paper.

"What is it?" Tony asked. "Libby, what's wrong?"

"It's no one important," Libby coldly answered. She took her phone out of her pocket and slammed her finger down on the ignore button.

"Couldn't you have just-"

"Oui, but I wanted to do it manually," Libby interrupted her boss. She went back to pulling the tissue out of her bag when she stopped, her shoulders tensing as she growled.

"Is it him?" Kitty asked. The X-Men all stared at her, Tony noted. Some of them stared at her with pity in their eyes, and some with fury. Bobby's fists clenched at his sides, and he turned his head away.

"Give me your phone," Bobby stood as he held out his hand towards his friend. Libby obeyed. Her movements were quick, and Tony was struggling to keep up with what was happening. "Fuck off, asshole," Bobby spoke to whoever was calling Libby, and then he slammed his finger down on the end button.

"Merci, beaucoup," Libby said to him. She held out her hand and her phone floated back to her.

"He's got some nerve calling you today," Bobby grumbled as he sat back down.

"He's doing it on purpose, isn't he?" Kitty asked. Libby nodded.

"Um, am I the only one that's out of the loop on this?" Tony asked. All of the mutants, with the exception of Libby, turned and looked at him. He felt like the outsider, the white sheep, in a group of outcasts and black sheep. Tony shifted on his feet as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Libby, what the hell is going on?"

Libby's phone vibrated again. She stared at it for a moment, chewing on her bottom lip and tears coming to her eyes. She closed her eyes for a second and took a calming breath. She opened her eyes, devoid of all emotion as her phone floated up to her ear.

"I'm in the middle of something, what the hell do you want from me this time?" she snapped. Her tone was force, and harsh. Tony felt himself move to take a step back, but he held his ground – her words weren't directed towards him.

_"__Watch your tone, young lady. We're having a meeting in the capital in three hours. Be there."_

"I'm not dropping everything that I'm doing for you, it can wait till morning," Libby retorted. She held her left hand up to her hold her phone while the fingers on her right hand clawed at the skin on her thigh. "Besides, I'm in California. I can't make it to D.C. in three hours."

_"__I'm not going to tell you again. You are required to be at this meeting, there's no debate."_

"I'm sure whatever reason you're claiming is so important that I have to leave my own fucking birthday party for is valid," she said as she rolled her brown eyes, "But I'm not going. I'll be there in the morning."

_"__You will be there, or el-"_

"Or you'll do what? Ground me?" she laughed. "I'm twenty-six fucking years old, I'm not a child-"

_"__Then quit acting like one."_

"Listen to me very carefully," Libby's voice lowered in pitch, blood dripped down her thigh from the scratch marks she left, and a fire burned in her eyes. The others in the room shrank or scooted away from her, and one even turned and looked away. "I will be there tomorrow morning. If this meeting is so important, you should have scheduled it with me earlier."

_"__You're getting a new assignment."_

"I already have the maximum number of assignments. Non, I'm not taking another one."

_"__Well you're getting this one. Get to D.C. now, I will not ask you again."_

"Oh so now you're _asking_ me. Whatever it is, it can, and will, wait till morning."

_"__He woke up today."_

"And I should care because… Oh, right, I don't," Libby pulled her right hand away from her thigh. She crossed her legs and wiped the blood from her fingertips on the silver tissue paper from Kitty's present.

_"__You found him, he's your responsibility." _

"I'm not responsible for the actions of others," she retorted. "Besides, he's not a threat. Not to you, not right now."

_"__Fury agrees with me, he's your assignment. You fought for the Tesseract project and you got it, and now you're getting this one." _

"I'm not going to tell you again, asshole, I'm not coming in tonight. I will be there in the morning. Now if you excuse me, I'm going to enjoy the last few hours of my birthday," Libby slammed her thumb down on the "end" button. She closed her eyes as her body shook.

And for a minute, it was completely silent.

"I need a cigarette," the technopath said. "Can we open presents outside?"

"Sure," Ororo was the first to speak. "Let's move this outside."

The X-Men gathered the gifts and quietly moved towards the door to the balcony. Tony was the only one to approach the technopath.

Libby opened her eyes as she stood. Her hands still shook at her sides, and her right leg was stained with four streaks of dried blood.

"You got blood on the sofa," Tony said, trying to lighten the mood. Libby looked up at him. The flames in her eyes were dying, and Tony saw a layer of sadness in them.

"It'll come out," she said. "Eventually."

"You need a hug?"

"I would love one," Libby said. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Tony's torso and rested her head on his chest. The gentle hum of the arc reactor calmed her.

"If you need to talk-"

"Mille fois merci," she whispered. Tony leaned his chin on top of her head and held her tightly.

"Are you gonna tell me who that was?" Tony asked. Libby's shoulders tensed, and her fingers clawed into his shirt. He thought, for a moment, that she wasn't going to answer him.

"My step-fa-"

"Libby, hurry up! It's cold out here!" Marie called from the balcony doorway. The technopath quickly pulled away from her boss and dried the wet spots under her eyes. She looked up at Tony, and promised him, "One day, I'll tell you all about him."

And somehow, he knew she would keep her word.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Merci, beaucoup <strong>_**means something along the lines of "Thanks a lot" and _Mille fois merci _means "Thanks a thousand miles" (both are open to translation, but that's the basics of it; I'm trying not to go too overboard with her French, which I will be getting to very soon). **

**Given his character, I wouldn't put it past Tony if he ever smoked. **

**I tried to include more members of the X-Men in this chapter, considering I basically brushed over them in the last one (which was my fault because I rushed the chapter). **

**And yes, there will be more times when Libby casually breaks the fourth wall. Hell, if I ever bring Deadpool into this story (which I'm very much considering) I will be going all out with fourth wall breaking (as well as other things, since it's Deadpool).**

**Outfit is the same as the last chapter, but here it is anyway: ww w. poly vore help_me_make_most_freedom/set?id=147769563 (and, as always, remove the spaces)  
><strong>

**And the link to the playlist: 8trac ks im7inchestall/gods-and-monsters-fanfic-playlist (remove spaces)  
><strong>


	6. I am the opposite of amnesia

**The next day**

**S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters**

**Washington D.C.**

Libby ran her hand through her dark hair as she waited in the elevator. She wore a grey, slim fitting shirt with black shorts and black Converse. Her phone buzzed in her back pocket; a message from Tony.

_"__Let me know when you're done with your meeting and when you're on your way back. We need to go over locations for Stark Tower." _

"Penelope respond to Tony's text for me, PLEASE," Libby said as the elevator slowed to a stop. The doors dinged open and she slowly stepped out. The mutant hesitantly walked towards the office of Alexander Pierce, and she took a deep breath before opening the glass door.

"About time you showed up," Alexander remarked at the sight of the mutant. "Sit, we have a lot to go over."

Libby ignored his tone as she pulled up a rolling chair. She sat facing five holograms of the remaining World Security Council members – and all kept their emotions hidden and remained neutral.

"On April 20 at thirteen-hundred hours you reported finding the Tesseract, along with the remains of Steve Rogers," Alexander began. "Were you, at the time of finding him, aware that he was still alive?"

"Oui," she rolled her eyes. "We already went all of this back in April. I found him and the Tesseract buried beneath twenty feet of solid ice. I reported my findings to S.H.I. . and left after both were safely secured."

"As I told you last night, Rogers woke up."

"And?" Libby blinked. "Don't tell me he's my new assignment."

"He is," Alexander narrowed his blue eyes at her. "We're worried there's something he's not telling us, and we want you to figure out what that is."

"Are you going to tell me what you think he's hiding from you or am I gonna have to guess?" she asked as she leaned back in the chair.

"You're a smart girl, you figure it out," Alexander told her. "He's living in Brooklyn, the address has just been sent to your phone. We're expecting you to make contact in twenty-four hours."

"When did the good Captain wake up, again?" Libby asked.

"About a week ago," one of the World Security Members replied – a female with a bob and a thick British accent. "We've been discussing the matter a lot and we all agree that you are the best person to take this assignment."

"Why?" Libby asked. "Is it because my grandfather served with him? Or that my grandmother was one of his backup dancers when he was promoting war bonds during World War II?"

She was answered with silence.

"I'll take the assignment on the condition that all of my hours are doubled while I'm working six cases."

"One of your assignments is bogus, so no," Alexander flatly told her.

"Not to anyone outside this room," the mutant retorted. "I get double hours for all of my assignments or I don't take the case."

"You're taking this case, _Leonora_," Alexander told her. Libby's eyes flooded with rage as she stood.

"Then I get double the hours, _Dad_," Libby held her ground. Alexander's eye twitched.

"Agreed," the British councilwoman said before either of the two could speak. "All in favor for Libby's hours to be doubled while working six assignments." The mutant smirked at the sound of four of the five members saying aye. "Those opposed."

"Nay," Alexander firmly stated, glaring at the technopath. She smirked in victory, and the flames in her eyes danced.

"Very well then," the British woman nodded. "Ms. Dugan, you'll be getting double community service hours while working six cases."

"Merci," Libby lowered her head to the ground, but kept her smirking eyes on Alexander. "I'll have my first report in by next week."

"I want it in 48 hours," Alexander told her.

"You'll get it in a week, unless you want me to summarize exactly what Agent Carter wrote in her's," Libby said as she walked away. "Have a lovely day, except you, Alexander. I hope you have a rotten one."

And with that, she walked away. She smirked in victory as she pulled her sunglasses out and rested him on top of her nose.

"Penelope tell Tony I just got out of my meeting and I'll be calling him shortly," she said as the elevator doors opened at her command. The light for the garage-level lit up as she stepped inside, and by the time she turned the elevator doors were closing.

_"__You got it, Boss," _Penelope told her, her voice as chipper as ever. _"Oh, and agents Hill, Coulson, and Barton wish you a happy birthday."_

"Of course they did. Did any of them send me anything?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

_"__Barton sent you an arrow."_

"Put it with the other's," Libby said. "I'm sure by now I have a wonderful bouquet."

_"__Yes. Would you like me to arrange a date with Michael for this afternoon?"_

"Non. Tony needs me. Have everything related to Captain America on Hummingbird for me, I would like to go over everything before I make contact."

_"__And when do you plan on making contact?"_

"Soon. I'll convince Tony to take the Tower project to New York, so I can continue to work for him while dissecting the good captain. And Penelope, I want everything we have that's current on Rogers. Nothing is too small."

_"__Roger that, Captain. Anything else?"_

"I want no distractions for the rest of the day. None. If anyone tries to contact me take their message, I'll get back to them tomorrow or whenever I get around to it."

_"__Yes ma'am." _

The elevator slowed to a stop, and the doors opened with a ding. Libby trudged in the barely lit garage towards her car. She pulled her lanyard out of her bag and swung the keys as she hummed.

* * *

><p><strong>I'm not linking the outfit or playlist this time. I'm tired of going back and fixing it. Besides, by now you at least know the link for the playlist.<strong>

**And just warning you now, the next chapter is ****_long. _****I'm currently at 3,500 words and I don't think I'm even at the middle part yet. **

**And yes, I am totally just brushing over everything that just happened in this chapter. There will be more on that in future chapters once we hit the events of _Avengers_.  
><strong>


	7. And here's the frozen proof

**August 24, 2010**

**New York City**

Steve Rogers sat a round table outside a local restaurant. He picked a table with no umbrella and bathed in the warm, August sun. He wore a tight fighting blue shirt and track pants. He had planned on going for a run later, but not in the heat of the day.

Since he woke, he had gotten a new a journal to sketch in. The main difference between this one and his old one was the spiral binding. The paper felt the same under his fingers, and his pencil moved the same across the surface, but it didn't feel the same. Nothing felt the same.

He laid his pencil down on the round table with metal framing and a glass top. He picked up his coffee mug and took a sip, his eyes glancing around him.

It was a nice, warm August day. Sure, autumn may not begin for another month, but this was one of the last few summer days – and Steve cherished those most of all.

"May I sit here?" Steve was zapped out of his thoughts by a young woman with straight brown hair and familiar brown eyes. Where had he seen those eyes before?

"Sure," he nodded.

"Merci," she said as she sat in the chair next to him. She sat her light blue purse on the ground by her sandaled feet. She wore a denim jacket, a black cami, and denim shorts. The sleeves on her jacket were rolled up to her elbows, and her hair covered the straps of her cami. "I'm Libby. Libby Dugan." She held out her hand and a warm smile.

"Steve Rogers," when his hand touched her's he felt a spark of electricity run through his hand and up his arm. Her name was familiar to him too, he thought. "Are you from around here?"

"No, California," she answered as she shook her head. "I moved out here a few years ago for school. You?"

"Brooklyn, born and raised."

"Ah, I caught a local," she grinned. Her grin, he noted, was as familiar as her eyes. Where he had seen them before, he couldn't remember.

"Have we met before?" Steve asked her, and then shook his head. "No, sorry. I… There's no way we've met before."

"I get around," she told him. "I recently just finished traveling."

"Where'd you go?"

"Anywhere… Everywhere," she told him with a grin. She pushed a stray piece of hair back as she leaned back in her chair. "A friend and I… we just packed up our stuff, hit the road, and never looked back."

"So why'd you stop?" he asked her. Libby looked down at her lap for a quick moment before looking back up at him.

"Reality got in the way," she simply told him. "I'd love to be able to just go anywhere and do whatever I wanna do and be whatever I wanna be bu-"

"But you have responsibilities and people you care for that still need you, or you need them," Steve finished. She looked at him with her head cocked to the side, and her brown eyes stared at him in confusion. "So you stop doing what it is that you want to do and do what you have to do, because that's life. Its not always fair like we want it to be, but that's just the way it is."

Steve stopped when he noticed the way she looked at him. Her eyes, they told him so much. Her eyes told him she knew all too well what he meant.

"Oui," she nodded. "I think my favorite part was the freedom. You know?"

"Yeah," he nodded as he took a slow sip of his coffee.

"Can I get you anything?" a waitress with hair as long as Libby's, except her's was a light blond and wavy. She wore a yellow and orange apron, and a friendly smile.

"Uh, do you have Coke or Pepsi products?"

"Coke."

"I'll have a Coke, no ice, and… just the Coke," Libby said.

"Gotcha. Anything for you, sir?"

"Just a refill on my coffee, please," Steve answered.

"Sure thing. Is this on the same ticket or separate?" the waitress asked. Steve looked to the young woman across from him, but she looked at the waitress.

"Same, I'll be getting it, if you don't mind."

"Okay! One Coke, no ice, and a refill on coffee," the waitress nodded, smiled, and left before Steve could stop her.

"You don't have to do that."

"No, but I want to," she told him, slightly shrugging her shoulders. "It's the least I can do."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I mean, you were probably expecting to spend the afternoon alone-"

"I don't mind, really," he told her. They stared at each other, as if they were continuing their argument only with their eyes.

"How about this," she told him, leaning forward slightly, "We spilt the bill and I pay for you and you pay for me. Deal?"

"Deal," he laughed. "So what do you do for fun?"

"Getting right to hard questions, uh?" she asked with a laugh. "Dancing. You?"

"Wow, that was quick," Steve said as he shifted in his metal chair. "Well… I like boxing, and running."

"Here ya go, one Coke no ice and here's a fresh pot of coffee," the waitress said as she returned. She placed the Coke in front of Libby and placed the pot of coffee in front of Steve. "Is there anything else I can get you two?"

"Actually, we're splitting the bill," Libby answered. "I hope that won't be a problem."

"No, it's a simple fix," the waitress said. "Call me over if you change your mind about wanting anything to eat."

"Will do," Libby nodded.

"Would you be offended if I asked you how old you were?" Steve asked her.

"Non," she giggled as she shook her head. "Twenty-six. You?" Steve shifted in his seat again. _Do I tell her that I'm twenty-six or ninety-one? _Of course, he knew he answer he wanted to tell her – but that wasn't the answer he gave.

"Me too," he felt like he was lying.

"So do you have any family here in the city?" she asked him, then took a sip of her Coke. She kept her eyes pointed straight at him, and Steve got the feeling that she more knew than what she was claiming.

"No, I'm all alone," he told her. He finished off his cup of coffee before filling it with the fresh pot the waitress had brought out. "You?"

"Most of the time," she nodded. "I, uh, most of my family pretends I don't exist, and I pretend they don't exist either. Life's much easier for me that way."

"Why?" he asked.

"Because I'm a technopath," she answered, honestly. "And when I was five my older sister and my cousin Marie decided it'd be a fun idea to push me into a tub filled with water while holding a toaster." She stopped to take a sip. "And when they pushed me in, Marie and I got tangled up in the cord and we both fell in. I got out untouched, my cousin was electrocuted to death."

"I don't see how that was your fault-"

"In the struggle to get me in the tub the toaster came unplugged," she told him, flatly. "My aunt, and other members of my mother's side, never forgave me for that."

"But that wasn't your fault," he repeated in fustration. "If they hadn't-"

"I know," she told him. She reached out and grabbed his hand, comforting him. "My _perfect_ sister told everyone a different story. She said that it was my idea, and I was one who pushed Marie into the tub, not the other way around."

"Did anyone believe you?"

"My mere and Papa Dum Dum," she answered. "I'm not sure about everyone else, though they all blamed me."

"Wait, what did you call him? Your grandfather?"

"Papa Dum Dum?" she asked him. "That was his name, everyone called him Dum Dum, from what I've heard."

"As in Dum Dum Dugan?" he asked, sitting up in his chair.

"Oui," she said. "Why? Do you know him?"

"Ye-No," he answered, then shook his head. "He, uh, served with my grandfather during World War II. How is he?"

Libby's shoulders tensed. She looked down at her Coke and took a long sip. He knew by her response, and his shoulders deflated.

"He… died a few years ago," she told him. "That's another death they blame me for."

"Why?" he asked. His fingers tightly wrapped around the white mug and he leaned back in his chair.

"That's… a long story," she told him as she leaned back in her own chair. She looked away from him as she tried to blink the tears away. "One I don't particularly like sharing."

"Very well then," he nodded.

"Merci," she smiled. "For that."

"What?" he asked.

"Most people don't just drop it like that," she answered. "They want to know the whole story, or part of the story."

"I'm not most people," Steve told her. Libby laughed.

"Funny, I'm usually the one that says that."

Steve watched her sip on her Coke. For whatever reason made Libby want to sit down across from him, he was glad.

"Do… do you wann go do something? Like… bowling?"

"Bowling?" she giggled. "Why bowling?"

"It's the first thing I thought of," he shrugged.

"I haven't bowled in years," she told him. "Bowling is fine."

"Oh, great," Steve closed his drawing book and set it on the glass surface.

"Were you surprised I said yes?" she asked him. Libby took a long drink of her Coke and then set it back down.

"Yeah, a little," he rubbed the back of his neck. "You don't mind going out with a stranger?"

"Do you?" she asked with a laugh. "Unless you'd rather sit here and get to know each other for another hour."

"Is that all you think it takes to get to know a person?" Steve asked.

"Non, but it's a start," she said. "So what's your favorite color?"

"Blue," he answered. "Your's?"

"Blue is my favorite color too," she grinned. "Political affiliation?"

"Democrat. Why do you keep speaking French?"

"I'm half-French. I spent most of my summers and holidays in France when I was a kid," she answered. "Its just habit. What's your worst memory?"

Steve paused. Memories of his old life, from before he was frozen, flashed before him.

"That's a subject changer," he shifted his weight in his chair. He thought for another moment before giving his answer. "Watching my best friend die. What's your worst memory?"

"Ooooh, that's a tough one," she said. She looked down, and Steve saw sadness in her eyes.

"You just asked me that question!" he said with a light chuckle.

"Well… oui," she shrugged. "I guess… Deiu, this is such a hard choice."

"You can't have that many bad memories," he said, jokingly. She looked at him and his heart dropped.

"You'd be surprised. I've been through a lot," she stared at her Coke, and then back up at him. "Well… I guess the first thing I think of is… Watching my grandfather die." Steve paused. He looked at her, and his shoulders deflated. "What about your favorite memory and why?"

"Does it have to happy?" Steve asked after taking a drink from his coffee. He tried to forget the image of Libby watching his friend Dum Dum die.

"Non," she shook her head. She leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table "Now spill."

"Before my pal Bucky died-"

"Is that your best friend?"

"Yes," Steve answered. "But before he died, we both went down different paths. One day I got word of where he was and I knew I had see him. So I hoped on a plane and flew to where he was and Bucky was in really bad shape, but seeing him again was… Well-"

"The best feeling in the entire world?" she finished with a smirk. Now that smirk he knew. He recognized it just like he recognized her grin and her eyes. "Oui. I know the feeling. Uh, for a little over I year I was detained. And when I got out and saw all my friends again it was… magical. I felt like I could be happy again. You know?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "So is that you're happiest memory?"

"Non," she pushed a strand of her hair out of her face. "My happiest memory would probably be… My first day at Xaiver's School for Gifted Youngsters. I was twelve, and my mère took me during the summer, because she didn't want her husband to find out. And I remember finally feeling like there was some place I could call home, a place where I could be me and be accepted for who I was."

"Was?" he asked. "You don't feel that way anymore?"

"Sometimes," she shrugged. "That's… also a long story."

"Is it as long as the one about your grandfather?"

"Non, it's longer," she answered. "Actually, you have to hear the grandfather story before you can hear that story."

"You're a lot more complicated than you let on."

"You have no idea," she told him, the glass at her lips. "So, my turn. Um… If you could change one thing about your life, what would you change?"

"Just one thing?"

"Une," she laughed as she nodded. "Just une."

"Fine," he laughed as he shook his head. "Ooh, this is a hard one. Well…" He thought about all of the things he could've done differently. Would he have tried to save Dr. Erskine, or one of his parents from dying? Or save Bucky from falling down a mountain on a moving train? What about Peggy? Would he, if he could, find a way to save the world and not sacrifice himself? The thought was only in his mind for a moment, a quick moment, and then it was gone. He knew the answer to the last question, and he knew the answer to the brunette's question too. "I guess… Save a friend of mine, a doctor from dying."

"Why?"

"He was going to do a lot of good for the world, maybe a lot more than what I could've done. And he… changed my life. He was the one that made it possible for me to get in the army, and he's the reason I'm here today. I… I owe him my life," Steve rubbed the back of his neck and looked down at his coffee while he spoke, and when he reached the end he finally looked back into her eyes. He thought he saw a sign of knowing, like she knew exactly whom he was talking about. _Impossible. _"What about you? What would you change about your life?"

"Moi?" she laughed. "Well… There's lots of things I'd like to change. But I think if I could change anything, I'd change knowing who my real father is," she took a sip of her Coke. "I think if I grew up knowing who he was and maybe even being raised by him, a lot of a the horrible things that've happened to me never would've happened. You know? Maybe I would've started going to school at Xaiver's when I was little, or went their full time instead of just in the summers and I would've had more control of my mutation and- well," she paused. Steve saw a hint of redness in her eyes, but she quickly blinked it away. "Maybe my life wouldn't be so fucked up."

"That's a bit extreme, don't you think?" he asked her after taking a few swallows of coffee.

"If you knew my whole story, you wouldn't say that," she said. "Trust me, Steve, my life is the definition of fucked up."

"Very well. Then can I ask you a question?"

"Oui."

"What's your biggest fear?" Libby's face paled a little. She licked her bottom lip as she rolled her shoulders.

"I think… Well, I'd have to say my biggest fear would be somewhere between claustrophobia and cleithrophobia. I'm afraid that I'll be stuck or trapped, that I'll never get the chance to really be free. What about you? What is Steve Rogers afraid of?"

"Abandonment," he answered with no hesitation.

"Monophobia," she said. "Also called the fear of one's self."

"I didn't know that," Steve said. "I guess you learn something new every day."

"Oui," she nodded. "So. It's your turn."

"Is it? Oh, well… Okay, so earlier you said you were a technopath and you've talked about mutants and-"

"You're asking me to explain all that, aren't you?" she asked. Steve rubbed the back of his neck and nodded. "Okay, so I'm a mutant, and my mutation allows me to control technology."

"So you were born a mutant?"

"Oui," she nodded. "My step-father never liked my mutation, and like all things he doesn't know or understand, he thought the best way to handle it was to pretend it didn't exist or destroy it. Let's just say he tried both methods."

"I'm guessing neither worked."

"You'd be correct," she told him. "The only good that came out of it is that it made me stronger." She took a sip of her Coke before continuing, "So, my turn."

"Oh boy."

"What is that supposed to mean?" she laughed.

"You ask all the hard questions!" Steve answered.

"Okay then," she rolled her eyes. "I'll ask an easy question: have you ever been kissed?"

"Yes. You?"

"Oui," she nodded. "Have any tattoos?"

"No," he shook his head. "You?" Libby looked down, and then her eyes slowly looked back into his.

"Oui… and non."

"What is that supposed to mean?" he asked with a light laugh.

"It's more of a brand than a tattoo," she responded.

"Can I ask why, or where?"

"It's on the base of my neck," she answered. "And it wasn't my choice."

"Oh," he wished he hadn't asked her that. "I'm sorry."

"Steve," she said, looking at him with honest eyes, "Don't apologize for something you can't control."

"No, I meant sorry for asking."

"You didn't know," she told him. "Really. I mean it. My tattoo… well, it's apart of me. I don't like talking about how I got it, or really why I got it, but I… I embrace it."

"Can I ask why?"

"Because I think that's the best way to get my revenge against the people that gave it to me," she answered. "So they know that there's nothing they can do to bring me down."

"Well, I would hate to be them then."

"You would, since they're all dead," she flatly told him. "Well, all but one."

"Did you-"

"Kill them?" she finished his sentence. She rolled her tongue between her bottom row of teeth and her bottom lip. "I plead the fifth."

"You're a very secretive person, aren't you?"

"Whatever gave you that idea?" she asked sarcastically.

"It's very hard to get to know someone who's as secretive as you," he told her.

"But I'm willingly to bet you're trying," she told him with a smirk on her face.

"Oh believe me, I am."

"Luckily for me, you're an open book."

"Is that so?"

"Oui," Libby nodded. "I just-so happen to be good at reading people. Call it a gift. Call it plot convenience or whatever – point is, to me, you're an open book."

"Okay then. So tell me what you know so far."

"Well, you're honest. But you have this… troubling event that you can't talk about. You want it, but you can't. Or won't. You want to find your friends and what family you have left, but you can't. Whatever that troubling event is, it's holding you back from your loved ones, and it's eating you alive."

"That was… too the point. Can I try you?"

"Be my guest," she grinned. "Most people are generally wrong about me."

"You're anchored by your past. Whatever happened to you before, it's stopping you from moving on with your life. And maybe it's tearing you up inside, but you don't show it. You're good at that."

"Good at what?" she asked.

"Hiding what you're really feeling," he answered.

"As I said, most people are wrong about me," she told him with a smirk, and then took a drink.

"Are you saying I'm most people?"

"Non, on the contrary," she told him as she set the glass down. "You said it yourself, you're not most people."

"Oh," Steve said, a little taken back. He smiled to himself. "So how close was I?"

"Close enough to not be grouped with most people," she answered.

"How many people, exactly, is not most people?" Steve asked.

"Including you?" he nodded. "Cinq."

"Five?" he asked. Libby nodded. "So…"

"Wanna go bowling?" she rolled the sleeves on her jean jacket up. "Or something?"

"Sure," Steve nodded. He went to pull his wallet out of his pocket. "Do you wanna walk or ride?"

"Ride?" she asked.

"Yeah, I have a motorcycle."

"Now that sounds like fun," she told him, a smirk on her lips and danger in her eyes.

They paid for each other's and Steve lead him off to his bike.

"Uh, I don't have a helmet," he regrettably told her.

"I'll be fine, I'm stronger than I look," she told him. "Trust me. Now are you getting on or what?" Libby smirked. She pulled the strap of her purse over her shoulder, and the strap rested cross her chest.

"Hang on tight, and don't let go," he told her after they both got on his bike. Libby wrapped her arms around his middle and buried her face between his shoulders, her nose brushing up against his spine.

At her slightest touch, Steve felt like life was being pulsed into him. Her hands felt like sparks, and her body was warm against his.

_Funny_, he thought, _I never thought I'd be warm again._

* * *

><p>Okay, so I think it's safe to say that we'll be hitting the events of <em>Avengers <em>by chapter ten or eleven. I would like to push it back, but I'm getting tired of writing exposition - I wanna get to the juicy stuff.

I'm not sure how long or short the next chapter will be. I'm... a little skeptical about where I want it to go. At first I wanted it to be another Steve and Libby chapter, but I didn't feel like writing another 2000+ words of sexual tension. So I hope you like Tony, because he'll be breaking that wonderful sexual tension.


	8. Put your hands on my waist

**August 29, 2010**

**New York City**

**Libby's flat**

Libby moved around the kitchen and hummed to herself. Tony sat in the living room not to far away. A hologram of Stark Tower hovered over the coffee table, and Tony turned it in a circle to get a better view of the nearly-finished design.

"I don't know," he said to the technopath. "It's missing… something. A spark, the topper to the tree."

"Didn't you say you wanted to add Stark to the tower?" she asked as she walked back into the living room, carrying two glasses. She handed one to Tony and kept the other for herself. "We can still add it, they haven't started construction yet."

"Where would we put it?" he asked her, and then took a drink from the glass she handed him and scrunched his face as he drank. "Damn, that's strong. How much whiskey did you put in this?"

"Je suis désolée," Libby quickly apologized. "Sorry, I like mine strong."

"I do too," Tony told her. "Guess that's another thing you get fro-"

"Tony I'd rather we not talk about that," she told him. "So, where do you think Stark would go? And what font and coloring would it be?"

"Libby, you can't avoid it forever," he looked at her, and the mutant avoided him.

"Well, I can try," she told him, and then took a drink.

"I've been getting this strange feeling that you've been avoiding me since your birthday."

"I'm not avoiding you," she lied.

"So is there another reason you've taken the last week off?"

"Of course there is," she rolled her eyes. "S.H.I.E.L.D. gave me a new assignment."

"How exciting, do tell."

"Just dissecting some war hero," she waved her hand. "They think he's hiding something from them and they want me to find out what. It's one of the things I do best."

"I was being sarcastic."

"I know," she winked at him, and then took a long drink.

"So are you going to continue ignoring the elephant in the room then?" he asked.

"And which elephant would that be?"

"The results of the paternity test."

"Oh, that one," she gulped. "Well, what did you want to talk about?"

"Libby, we haven't talked about it since we ran the test."

"Well maybe we shouldn't talk about it," she told him. "Maybe there's a reason that one told us before, that it was a kept a secret for twenty-six years."

"So you're telling me that you're not happy that you've finally figured out who your real father is?" Tony asked her. He sat the glass down on the coffee table and turned his torso towards the mutant.

"It's not that," she quickly defended. "It's… everything else. Knowing that you're my father changes everything!" Her body shook, and Tony thought he saw the lights flicker and the machine in his chest stop for just a second.

"Libby, calm down," he told her. "Nothing has to change."

"It's not that," she told him as she closed her eyes. "It's… something else. I just… I just don't know how to tell you."

"Tell me what?" he asked.

"The reason, well one of the reasons, why I hate my birthday," she told him, looking down at her lap. She chewed on her bottom lip and then looked back into his eyes.

"Oh."

"Tony… I don't know how to explain this to you," she told him. She crossed her legs on the couch as she turned to look at him. "I… I told you that I have an older sister, right? That I'm the youngest?"

"Yeah."

"That's not entirely true."

"That you have an older sister?"

"Non," she quickly shook her head. "I'm not the youngest. Technically, I'm the middle child. I have a younger brother."

"Okay. What does this have to do with you hating your birthday?"

"I'm older by two minutes."

"Oh. Oh!" he looked at her, and then he understood.

"He didn't live very long," she added. "Another death my mother's family blames me for."

"What do you mean?" he asked. He felt something in his chest tingle and ache at her words. _Libby has a twin. Or, she had a twin._

"All of the doctors' said it was strange. That when I first… came out that I was quiet, and they thought I was the stillborn. And then they saw Leon holding my ankle and there was this bright light and suddenly… all the lights went out, and I cried."

"Do you think-"

"That Leon was a mutant too?" she asked. "It's the only thing that makes sense. He saved me. He gave his life for mine, and my step-father never let me live it down."

"But you have a twin."

"Had a twin," she corrected. "He died shortly after he was born. After I was started crying. I-uh, I go to see him every year on my birthday, and whenever else I can."

"Can you take me to see him?" Tony asked her.

"Whenever you want, Dad."

"We've gone over this, don't call me that."

"Sure thing, _Pops_," she corrected with a grin.

"Let's just get back to work, Squirt," he told her. "Now, what if we put Stark on the balcony? Like right there?" he pointed to the spot, and block letters spelled out his last name.

"Ooh, I like that," she nodded. "How about we use the Stark Industries logo? Except we just leave it at Stark with the line under it?" As she talked the hologram changed to match her words.

"This is so bitching!" he grinned. The two high fived and then took a long drink. "God, I can't wait till we start construction on this."

"To a fresh start, a clean start," she held up her glass and they clinked their cups.

"To clean energy," he added before taking a drink. Libby nodded and tipped her glass towards him, and then added. "To Leon."

"To Leon," Tony repeated, and then they drank. "Why don't we go tonight?"

"I can't," she said and dried the corner spot of her mouth where alcohol had spilled. "I have a date tonight."

"With anyone I should meet?"

"No, my assignment," she corrected.

"The war hero?"

"Yep. I'm teaching him now to dance," she explained. "Electric Slide, tango, waltz, Cupid Shuffle, all of it."

"He doesn't know the Electric Slide or Cupid Shuffle?"

"Non, I don't even think he knows Cha Cha Slide."

"Then you'll have fun," he chuckled before taking a drink. "Hey, why don't Pepper and I come by? I think she'd like learning formal dances and stuff."

"I'd hardly call Electric Slide, Cupid Shuffle, and Cha Cha Slide formal."

"You know what I mean," Tony rolled his eyes. "Besides, maybe if she spends some quality time with you she'll come around."

"I doubt that," Libby shrugged. "Fine, but let me ask Steve if he's okay with you intruding on our… date."

"Have you suddenly forgotten that it was a date?"

"No, we just… didn't call it that," Libby shrugged. "I'm gonna call Steve, and you better not embarrass me."

"How would I do that? It's not like I have any embarrassing baby photos of you, or stories about you accidently electrocuting yourself." There was a twinge of hurt behind his words, but the mutant ignored it.

"Actually I can't electrocute myself."

"Personal experience?" Tony asked.

"Let's just say there was an incident with a toaster," Libby told him and then held her phone to her ear. He waited and watched her as she stood on the opposite side of the room. She leaned against the wall by the window and gazed outside. "Bonjour, Steve!... Oui, what about you? Nervous?... You're not going to step on my feet!... Oui, I promise!... Trust me, I'm a great teacher… Non, actually I had a quick question for you. I told my boss about our date and he wants to come… That's what you got out of that?" she laughed. "He wanted to make a trip back to LA tonight, but I told him I had plans... You might like his girlfriend, not too sure about him though… You'll know when you meet him… Excellent! À tout à l'heure!"

"When's he coming over?" Tony asked.

"In a few hours," she told him and then sat back down next to him. "So, let's go over this thing floor by floor." She flicked her head and the hologram transported them to the first floor.

**V**

"Oh, he's here!" Libby jumped up. Tony blinked as his eyes followed her.

"Uh, Libby, how do you-" Tony asked her, and was interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Technopath," she reminded him with a grin. When she opened the door Tony stood. "Salut!"

"Hey Libby," Steve greeted with a shy smile. She gave him a quick hug and dragged him into her apartment. Tony's face cocked to the side at the sight of Steve, and Steve returned the stare.

"Steve, meet my boss, Tony Stark. Tony, meet Steve Rogers," Libby grinned as she introduced them.

"Stark? As in Stark Industries?" Steve asked as he held out his hand. Tony looked at his hand, and then hesitantly shook.

"Yeah," Tony nodded. Tony looked to Libby, and then the super solider next to her. "Rogers? Like-"

"Tony, when are Pepper and Happy getting here?" Libby interrupted him. "You know, we probably wanna get started soon."

"She just texted me and said they were on their way," Tony answered. He turned to reach for his nearly empty glass.

"And you should probably start drinking water," Libby grabbed the glass out of his hand before he could drink.

"Hey! What about you? You've had five glasses!" Tony complained, reaching for the glass in Libby's hand.

"That's because I can handle my liquor, you don't wanna be drunk when we dance," Libby held the glass just barely out of his reach.

"I can handle my liquor too!" Tony whined. "Come on, I'm just a little tipsy!"

"You're just a smidge past tipsy," Libby corrected him as she turned around and quickly gulped the rest of the drink.

"Libby!" Tony complained.

"Tony!" Libby mocked as she rinsed out the glass before filling it with water. "Here, start sobering up. Pepper's gonna flip when she finds out I let you drink."

"Why?" Steve asked. He watched the two with curiosity. From what he had heard of Howard Stark's son, Tony was very alike and unlike his father. He looked like him, of course, but there were other traits of Howard's Tony had inherited. But Steve knew that Tony wasn't the type of person that would sacrifice himself for another person or cause.

"Because the last time I got drunk, like really drunk, I got in a fight with my friend Rodney and we destroyed like half my house."

"Which is why you're sobering up," Libby told him. "Hurry up, I'll find you something to eat."

"I thought you didn't cook," Tony grumbled. He leaned against a counter and slowly drank the water he was given.

"I never said I'd make you anything," Libby retorted as she pulled out sandwich meat from the refrigerator. "Here, have some meat. Sorry, I'm all out of bread."

"Thanks," Tony rolled his eyes.

"What about you Steve?" Libby asked. "Hungry?"

"No," the super solider shook his head. "Thanks though."

"Just make yourself comfortable, I'm gonna run to the bathroom and change," Libby told them, and then quietly left. After Tony thought she was out of earshot, he turned to the war hero.

"So, she doesn't you who you are?" Tony assumed as he turned his torso to Steve. Tony slowly opened the package of sliced ham and slowly ate.

"Do you?" Steve hoped avoided the question. He too turned and faced the other man in the room and then crossed his arms across his chest.

"Captain America," Tony answered. "Nice to finally meet you, my father must be incredibly jealous of me."

"Why?" Steve asked.

"Well from what I heard the two of you had a nice little bromance going on," Tony retorted. "So when do you plan on telling my-" Tony took a slight pause before he realized what he almost said, "- assistant that you're Captain America?"

"Why do you care?" Steve asked him.

"Because I care about her, and you're going to hurt her if you keep lying," Tony informed him, bitterly.

"So you think she'd be fine with dating a man that's technically both twenty-six and ninety-one years old?"

"Probably, she's admitting she likes older men."

"Why would she tell you that she likes older men?" Steve demanded.

"We were talking about her mother and the topic just came up," Tony answered. "You still haven't answered my original question."

"It's not really any of your business," Steve avoided again. Truthfully, he hadn't really thought about when he would tell her. If he felt the time was right, he'd tell her – but not before. He still had his doubts about her, and a part of him believed that she would leave him after finding out who he really was.

"She deserves to know," Tony retorted. "If she doesn't already know, I mean it's not exactly rocket science."

"What do you mean?" Steve asked.

"You're kidding me," Tony rolled his eyes. "Flannel and plaid went out of style before I was born."

"Wasn't that back in like the 1500's?" Libby joked as she reentered the kitchen, freshly changed into black shorts and a sports bra.

"Very funny," Tony rolled his eyes again. "I'm not that old."

"Sure, and I'm not a brunette," the mutant joked. "Pepper and Happy are on their way up."

"Who's Happy?" Steve asked.

"Head of security, he'll probably just sit in the living room and try to figure out to turn the screen on an iPad," Libby responded. "So what'd you two talk about while I changed?"

"Just getting to know each other," Steve quickly lied. He looked to Tony and hoped he would play along. Libby watched them and restricted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Yeah, something like that," Tony bitterly agreed as he took a drink.

"Play nice," Libby told them. "Both of you."

"I am playing nice," Tony defended.

"Right," Libby smirked. "Sure you are." She walked around to the front door and opened it just as Pepper raised her hand to knock. "Pepper, Happy, bonjur!"

"Right," Pepper's smile faded as she walked in Libby's flat, and Happy was right behind her. "So… is that what you're wearing?"

"It's what I'm comfortable in," Libby told her pointedly. "Come on everyone, the dance studio is on the other side." The mutant led the four of them over to the other side of her flat. "Are you joining us, Happy?"

"Maybe…" Happy carefully studied Steve. "And… who are you?"

"Happy, it's just Steve," Libby told him. "He's not going to hurt me."

"I don't know, are you sure about that?" Tony quietly murmured.

_If only they knew,_ Libby looked to the super solider and gave him a bittersweet smile. _That I'm more likely to hurt him than he is to hurt me._

**V**

"Oh come on! You're doing so well!" Libby pulled Steve back to her. "You haven't even stepped on my feet!"

"Yet," Steve added. "I haven't stepped on you yet."

"And if you do you won't break me," the mutant reassured him. "I'm stronger than I look. Now put your hand back on my waist, we haven't even done the tango yet!"

The mutant and the super solider stood in the middle of the room. Happy was sitting not too far away, his iPad in his lap but his eyes on them. Tony and Pepper stood far enough away and watched while they quietly talked.

"Well I guess she got your charm," Pepper muttered to Tony. "She's certainly got a way with the opposite sex."

"She said her mom was charismatic too," Tony told her.

"Left, right, turn. Good job!" Libby grinned as she and Steve slowly did the steps to the tango.

"Do you remember her?" Pepper asked Tony. "Her mother?"

"No," Tony laughed. "I don't really remember any of my one night stands."

"I don't know if that's comforting or not," Pepper told him.

"Okay, so now you spin me and then we just repeat with the opposite feet," Libby explained to Steve.

"Can we do it a little slower?" Steve asked her.

"Sure thing," Libby lightly giggled as they started again.

"Would you rather I told you that I remember her?" Tony asked his girlfriend.

"Don't be ridiculous," Pepper told him. "It's just…"

"See! Okay, let's speed it up just a little bit," Libby said. Tony and Pepper looked towards them, and then back to each other.

"It's okay if you're jealous," Tony said.

"I'm not jealous!" Pepper crossed her arms over her chest. Her voice rose loud enough for Steve, Libby, and Happy to hear and turn their heads towards them.

"Let's try it a little faster," Libby distracted Steve. She gave Tony a knowing glance before looking back to the super solider. "One, step, two, step, three, turn and spin and-"

"It's just… I've always know that you've slept with other women before but… she just makes it real," Pepper told Tony.

"It was twenty-seven years ago," Tony rolled his eyes. "It's not like she's a kid. She's a grown woman."

"It's… I can't explain it Tony."

"Okay you really need to stop thinking that you're going to step on my feet," Libby laughed. "You're doing wonderful! Did you ever take dancing lessons?"

"No, not really," Steve blushed.

"Well I think you're ready to go full speed," Libby told him.

"What? No, I'm not," Steve quickly shook his head.

"Do you trust me?" she asked him as she looked into his eyes.

"Uh… yes," he nodded. "Of course I do."

_No Steve, I'm the last person you should trust,_ she thought. _If only you knew._

"You're ready," Libby grinned up at him. "Pops, Pepper, you wanna join us?" Tony and Pepper looked at each other, and both of them wanted to say no.

"Sure," Tony found himself saying. Pepper rolled her eyes at him as the joined the other on the right side of the room. She stood as far away from him as she could as Tony place his hand on her waist.

"Okay so this is gonna go really fast," Libby explained to Steve. "Just roll with it. Relax. And follow my lead."

"I thought the man was supposed to lead to tango," Tony said.

"Oui, but Steve knows what I mean," Libby told him. "You ready?"

"No," Steve answered honestly.

"Trust me," Libby told him. _Don't listen to me, Steve. I'm a liar. Always have been. Always will be. _

* * *

><p>I don't know if you noticed, but I don't really care for Pepper as a character. Luckily for me, she won't be in much of this story.<p>

Also, as for the "big reveal" about Tony being Libby's biological father, I had intended to have a chapter dedicated to them finding out but... it just didn't fit with the flow of how I wanted this to work. Chronological, it would've been after her meeting with the World Security Council, but considering I have an _entire freakin' chapter_ dedicated just to building up to her meeting Steve, I thought going straight to that offered a better flow. But since I'm considering having a flashback chapter(s) explaining Libby's motivation (such as her grandfather's death and her meeting some pretty important characters that I won't name), it'll probably be included there.

There's a time skip between this chapter and the next one, mostly to add more flesh to relationship between Libby & Steve and Libby & Tony (now that they know they're father-daughter). If it wasn't for that, I'd probably just skip to _Avengers_.


	9. Headed towards a fucked up holiday

**December 25, 2010**

**New York City**

**Libby's flat**

Libby ran a hand through her hair as she walked down the hall towards the living room. She only wore a red, button-up plaid shirt and black panties. The hem of the plaid shirt went to almost her mid-thigh, and she had the sleeves rolled just past her elbow. The tree was standing tall, with an unlit star at the top. The rest of the tree was bright, and lit up the living and dining rooms in a multicolored light. She paused and gazed at the tree and grinned.

"Merry Christmas," she said to herself. She walked toward her fridge and pulled open the door. She grabbed a bottle of honey bourbon-eggnog she had mixed that night and walked back to her sofa. She plopped down and slowly took a drink. Her shirt rode up and exposed her panty-line as she crossed her legs.

"Ew, put some pants on," Tony scrunched as face as he walked into the living room.

"You don't have to look," Libby laughed, and then took a drink.

"Is that the eggnog from last night?" Tony asked her. He pushed her legs off the couch so he could sit next to her.

"Oui, and no you can't have any," Libby told him. "It's too early to drink."

"You're drinking."

"As I told you before," Libby said, "It's incredibly hard for me to get drunk. So it doesn't really matter what I drink or when I drink, odds are I'm going to remain perfectly sober."

"Ugh, fine," Tony groaned. "So when is everyone coming over?"

"Couple hours. Steve's getting here early though, in… thirty minutes."

"Shouldn't you put clothes on?" Tony asked and then added, almost mockingly, "You know, if you're trying to save yourselves for each other."

"Tony I already told you, I lost my virginity when I was fourteen. I'm not saving myself for anyone anymore."

"Then is he saving himself for you?" Tony asked her.

"Since when are you so curious about my sex life? About thirty seconds ago you were traumatized by seeing my bare thighs."

"Okay when you put it like that it sounds strange, but come on, you gotta at least tell me if he gets you off."

Libby spat her honey bourbon-eggnog back in the glass.

"Do you plan on giving him tips if he doesn't?" Libby asked him. She wiped the spit on the corner of her lips on the back of her hand.

"I don't know," Tony said. "I just… I want you to be able to talk to me about anything. You know?"

"Please don't give me this speech, I got it enough from my mother," Libby rolled her eyes. "Almost every time after I caught her sleeping with another man besides her husband, well at least the times she knew I caught her, she'd come up and talk to me after and explain that she was just with men that made her happy and it was perfectly normal, and if I wanted to talk to her about something I could talk to her about anything and everything."

"How many times did she give you that talk?"

"At least a dozen."

"How many times did you catch her cheating on your step-father?" Tony asked her. Libby froze for a moment. Both of her hands were holding the glass, and her eyes were fixed upon its contents.

"Too many to count," she bitterly answered before taking a long drink.

"Did your step-father know?"

"He'd be stupider than I thought if he didn't," Libby responded, and then took another gulp. "Okay, I should probably change. I don't want Steve to know he left this shirt here."

"Why? Is it his?"

"Oui, and it's very comfortable," Libby said as she stood. "Merry Christmas, Pops."

"Merry Christmas, Squirt."

**V**

Libby opened her front door with a wide grin, now wearing a frost green sweater and black jeggings. Her hair was braided in a fishtail braid, and her nails were painted a similar shade of frost green. She kept her makeup simple – just her brows, mascara, a hint of blush, and lip gloss instead of lipstick.

"Merry Christmas, Steve," she greeted warmly. She embraced him in a tight hug, and he hugged her back.

"Merry Christmas," he greeted. He rested his head on top of her's before she pulled away.

"How hard was it bringing your Rob Your Neighbor gift on your bike?" she asked him as they entered her flat.

"I got it tied on pretty tight," Steve answered. He shook his head, shaking off the little flakes of snow that had fallen in his hair during the ride over to her apartment.

"How are the roads?" she asked him. She left his side long enough for him to take off his leather jacket and leave his shoes by the door. Steve carried his gift and placed the Frosty the Snowman wrapped present under the tree, which already had a handful of gifts under it.

"You can put your jacket in my room," she told him. Libby took his hand in her's and led him down the hall towards her bedroom. Steve saw Tony standing in the doorway of the guest bedroom, just two doors down form Libby's, and nodded. Tony nodded back. The mutant pulled the super solider into her room and kicked the door shut with her foot. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned up on her toes.

"Merry Christmas," she whispered again before kissing him. Steve placed his hands on her hips and held her close to him. Her lips were warm, and when she kissed him Steve felt like she was pulsing energy into him. Her fingers curled in the hair on the back of his neck as he kissed her back.

"It's nice to see you too," he told her as his nose brushed against her's. Their eyes gazed into each other, and Steve had never seen her eyes look so calm.

"I didn't want Tony spying on us," she told him. Her chest was pressed up tightly against his, and she clung unto him with her arms. "He's getting curiouser about our sex life."

"But we're not having sex," Steve pointed out.

"I know, but he still wants to give you advice," Libby told him, and then sighed. Her hands slowly fell and rested on his chest. She looked down and then buried her nose in the crook of his neck. "You could call it Pleasing Women 101."

"I'd rather not," Steve told her. _It's awkward getting sex advice from your friend's son, and even more awkward getting it from the boss of your, well… _"It'd be too… embarrassing."

"Well you could just ignore him," Libby said. "It's what I do, usually."

"He's your boss, shouldn't you be listening to him?" Steve asked her. Libby laughed.

"Are we gonna talk about my boss or are you going to kiss me?" she asked him, her voice low as she looked back into his eyes. Her fingers played with his collar. Steve looked at those familiar brown eyes of her's and once again tried to remember where he had seen them before.

Steve's hands moved up to hold her face as he kissed her. He felt the mutant melt into his arms, and then slowly they backed onto her bed. The mutant stumbled back onto the mattress and the super solider fumbled on top of her. Libby's legs went around his waist and her fingers ran through his short, blond hair.

"Wait," Libby paused. Steve pulled away from her, and watched her with furrowed brows. Her eyes were closed, and her lips were pressed together in a thin line. "Maybe we should stop before we do something one of us will regret."

"Right. We don't want your boss to over hear anything."

"My boss, right," she laughed. Her dark hair spiraled out under her head, a few strands sticking out in odd places. Steve tucked one of those strands away, and watched her eyes open back up. He saw something in them, something hidden.

"Who else is coming, again?" Steve asked her.

"Some of my friends from the mutant school I went to," she answered. "The ones that don't have family they want to be with on this joyous holiday."

"What's for lunch? Or dinner?" Steve asked.

"I have lots of donuts. And cereal," Libby told him, and then she laughed. "We've never really gone all out with a big feast or anything. We just keep it simple."

"Oh."

"Fuck," she groaned. "Bobby's here."

"Bobby…?" Steve asked.

"He's… uh… He's one of my best friends and we hooked up a couple times over the summer," Libby told him honestly.

"Oh," Steve rolled off of her. She chewed on her lip as she watched his reaction. "Well…"

"I haven't had sex with him since September," she told him honestly. "But he's still my best friend."

"Have you told him about me?" Steve asked her.

"Well, oui," she said as she sat up. "Steve he's my best friend. I tell him almost everything."

"Are you still sleeping with him?" Steve asked her.

"Non," she shook her head. "I stopped after…"

"After what?" Steve asked her. Libby's eyebrows were crunched together, and her eyes had a hint of redness in them. And when Steve looked into her eyes, he saw pain.

"After I started falling for you," she quietly told him.

"LIBBY!" Tony yelled from the living room. "BOBBY'S HERE!"

The mutant jumped up. By the time Steve was out of the bed she was already at the door. He struggled to get his arms out of the sleeves of his leather jacket. He left it on her bed, and then joined her in the living room.

"Bobby!" Libby grinned as she hugged her best friend. They shared a brief kiss before Libby turned her body towards Steve. "Bobs, this is the guy I've been telling you about. Steve, meet Bobby."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Bobby told him with a smile. He held his hand out to shake, and Steve slowly held out his head. "Libs has told me so much about you."

"I wish I could say the same," Steve said. "I hope she's said good things."

"If she hadn't, I wouldn't have shaken your hand," Bobby said.

"Don't scare him off, the other's are going to be doing enough of that when they get here," Libby playfully slapped his chest.

"Okay compared to what the other's are going to say, that's not scaring. And I can probably do the worst damage… besides you, of course."

"Are you telling me that he should be afraid of you more than Kitty or Rogue? You _have_ seen your ex's mad, haven't you?"

"Technically Kitty and I never dated," Bobby corrected.

"For like three weeks everyone in the mansion thought you two were dating, including Kitty," Libby told him.

"Okay, stop," Tony interrupted them. "I know you two can carry this on for a couple hours, but let's not. I'm starving, and I'd love to start drinking already."

"Wow, you were right," Bobby mumbled to Libby. "You get your-"

Libby elbowed the other mutant in the chest, and he stopped. They both looked at Steve, and then back to each other. The super solider crossed his arms over his chest, and then looked at Tony.

"Tony I've already told you that we're limiting how much alcohol you're having today," Pepper said as she walked down the hall. She stood next to Steve as she straightened her skirt.

"It's Christmas," Tony rolled his eyes. "I think I can drink a little extra if I want to."

"You're going to say that next week on New Years and on every other holiday, even the ones you don't celebrate."

"That it is so not true," Tony lied.

"Okay if you two keep arguing I'm breaking out my hard stuff," Libby said. Bobby laughed with her. "Pepper have you meet Bobby before?"

"Yes, I think so," Pepper gave him a friendly smile. "Are your other mutant friends here too?"

"Non," Libby responded. "They're on their way. Bobby just got off a plane."

"And I'm starving," Bobby added.

"Well good thing I stocked up on donuts and cereal," Libby said. "Anyone else hungry?"

"Does thirsty count?" Tony asked.

"No," Pepper firmly stated. "No alcohol."

"What about you, Steve?" Libby walked backwards into her kitchen. "Hungry for anything?"

"No, but maybe later," Steve said. Libby nodded, then turned back around and grabbed a box of donuts from the cabinet. The mutant gave both Bobby and Steve a warm grin, but only one of them returned the smile. Bobby, now that his back was facing the others, gave her a knowing look. She shook her head at him.

"I couldn't get the jelly-filled ones you like," Libby told her friend as she opened the donut box. "But I got plenty of ones with sprinkles."

"But you promised you'd get me jelly filled donuts," Bobby said.

"I know, I just don't have them now," the technopath said. "One day, I'll get you all the jelly-filled donuts you want."

Somehow, Steve knew they weren't talking about donuts.

**V**

**December 27, 2010**

**Washington D.C.**

**S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters**

Libby ran a hand through her hair as she walked into her step-father's office. She took her seat across from the five of them and crossed her legs.

"Well? You called this meeting," Alexander said from his chair. His arms were folded across his chest, and he glared at the mutant.

"I want the Rogers case dropped."

"What?" Alexander asked her.

"I want it dropped. It's not going anywhere anymore, and I've told you everything I'm going to find out. Rogers doesn't know anything about the Tesseract that we don't know already," Libby answered. "My hours can go back to normal once the case is dropped."

"No, we believe that there's more he's hiding from us, hiding from you. It's your job to find that out," Alexander told her.

"And I have," the mutant told him. "I want it dropped. End of story."

Alexander and the other council members looked at each other.

"Fine," Alexander huffed. "The case will be dropped, but so will the your involvement in the Tesseract case."

"You can't do that!" Libby protested. "I'm team leader. I assembled the team. I've overseen the entire process. You can't take it away from me."

"If you lose the Roger's case then you lose the Tesseract one as well," Alexander told her, cleverly hiding his smirk and amusement so his fellow council members couldn't see it. But Libby had seen it enough to know when he was smirking at her and basking in her pain. This was one of those times.

"That's not fair," she shook her head. "I'm _going _somewhere with the Tesseract project. There's no where else to go with Steve."

"Steve? You mean Rogers," her step-father corrected, and his smirk grew.

"Oui," the mutant quickly shook her head. "You can't take the Tesseract project from me."

"We can, and we will," Alexander told her. "Unless you keep the Rogers case."

The other Council members nodded in agreement. Libby's breath quickened, and for a moment there was panic in her eyes. And then she calmed herself, and her brown eyes narrowed.

"I will not be manipulated," the technopath said, her voice low in pitch. Her step-father's smirk faltered just slightly, and the mutant knew that she was winning again.

[line]

Next chapter we skip all the way to _Avengers. _And yes, it's a long one.

I'll be putting a link to the playlist in on my bio soon, and I'll have a link to a Google docs page or photo album or something for all the outfits. I'm not sure how I'll be working all that out just yet.


	10. I've got to remember this is just a game

**May 2, 2011**

**New York City**

**Stark Tower**

Phil Coulson stood outside the doors to Stark Tower and looked up at the security camera. He pulled the door open and stepped inside.

"I'm surprised she let me in," Phil mumbled to himself. He took his time to look around the foyer as he stepped towards the elevator.

_"__She knew you were coming," _Penelope told him.

"So why hasn't she contacted us then?" Phil pressed the elevator button.

_"__Boss was busy, and she knew you'd come around to tell her. Her floor is the twelve floor." _The elevator door opened and the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent stepped inside.

"I'm surprised it's not the fifth."

_"__She wanted something different, for a change."_

Phil nodded. He removed his sunglasses as the doors opened back up.

"-see you in Germany," Phil heard Libby say as she turned around. He saw a flash of blue, but it was gone by the time he blinked. "Philoctetes. How nice of you to drop by."

"So you know why I'm here?" he asked her.

"Oui," she told him. "But I can't help, I'm too busy helping Tony and making sure the Tower runs properly." Libby adjusted her shirt as she walked around her room.

It looked very much like her flat, with its wide-open spaces and windows that were ceiling-tall. Phil saw an alcove, and a hall disappear down somewhere. He wasn't sure what laid behind it, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to know either.

"I'm mostly here for him," Phil said. "Fury still doesn't know that you work for him."

"I appreciate you not telling him that, by the way," Libby said as she grabbed a water bottle from the top of a desk. She pointed back to the elevator and the two of them climbed back inside. "It must be hard for you, to keep something like that a secret from him."

"I remember what you did to the last agent that betrayed your trust," Phil pointed out. "And I'd hate to end up like him."

"Like a mailroom delivery guy?" Libby asked him, and then she laughed. "No, Phil I wouldn't do that to you." There was a moment of relief in his eyes, but it was only a moment. "I'd probably make you a Wal-Mart store greeter. Or bathroom attendant, whichever you prefer."

"As if making my life miserable and changing my name to my occupation was my choice," Phil rolled his eyes. The elevator doors dinged open and the agent let the mutant step out first.

_"__Sir, it seems there's been a breech in the security," _Jarvis said.

"I can see that," Tony rolled his eyes.

"Not a breech, I let him in," Libby explained.

"You know Phil?" Pepper asked.

"Uh, he's first name is Agent."

"Actually it's Philoctetes," Libby corrected him. "And oui, of course I know him. I know everyone, remember?"

"So what are you doing here, Agent?" Tony asked. He held a wine glass in his hand and took a sip as he waited for Phil's response.

"I have something for you," Phil said. He handed Tony a vanilla file.

"Does this have something to do with the Avengers?" Tony asked as he walked backwards. "Which I know nothing about because I'm not apart of."

"Neither do I," Pepper added. "I have no idea what he's talking about."

"Oh I do," Libby boasted. She walked around to Tony and grabbed a bottle of whiskey from the bar. "I recall Fury asking me to join."

"Wait, Fury asked you but I'm not allowed to join even though I'm an actual super hero?"

"It's complicated," Libby told him as she poured herself a glass. "Right, Philoctetes?"

"I'm not answering that question," Phil said. "But we have a problem. A big problem. And we would like your assistance."

"Which one of us?" Tony asked.

"Your's," Phil said. "Though Libby was supposed to call in three hours when the Tesseract was stolen."

"In my defense, when the case was taken from me I was told that I was no longer allowed anywhere near the Tesseract," Libby quickly defended after taking a drink. "And, as far as I know, the paper work hasn't gone through yet. So, until then I'll remain blissfully content by my employer's side."

"Just read up on the file, I'm sure Libby can help fill you in," Phil said.

"Um, Tony, we have plans tonight," Pepper said as she stood. Tony looked at her, down at the folder in his hand, and then back to her. He chugged the rest of his wine and then gave his girlfriend and apologetic look. "And you have homework."

"Don't worry, I'll help him," the mutant volunteered.

"Phil, do you wanna go do something?" Pepper asked him.

"I'd love to," Phil nodded.

"Come on, Tony, I have much to show you," Libby said. She took another gulp of her whiskey and waved her free hand. Holograms of the Avengers appeared before them. "And, I have much to explain."

**V**

**May 4, 2011**

**Germany**

Loki sat with his arms up, and when Steve looked over to Tony he saw a familiar figure in his peripheral vision.

"Libby?" Steve asked. Tony turned his head and lifted his mask as his daughter approached. She wore a tight fitting black dress with thin black straps.

"Oui?" she asked as she walked up to them. Steve paused. His brain raced with what he should say or do. Would she recognize him? No, she couldn't. It wasn't possible. She couldn't have known that he was- "Steve, Pops, I hope you're having a wonderful visit to Germany."

"Libby what the hell are you doing here?" Tony asked her. "I thought you had to go to some posh party?"

"Oui, this is it," she looked at Loki, then shrugged. "No worries, you crashed a boring party. Anastasia is landing the Quinjet now, we should be getting him on it."

"Who's Anastasia?" Steve asked. Libby's familiar brown eyes were a comfort to him.

"Agent Romanoff," she clarified. "I would ask you where the Tesseract is, but I have a strange feeling you're not going to tell me."

"No, I'm not," Loki smirked as he shook his head.

"Very well," Libby sighed. "Come on boys, Anastasia's just landed the Quinjet."

**V**

"So wait, are you telling me that you already know about S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Steve asked her, after they had all gotten settled on the Quinjet. She still wore the dress from the party and, all four times that Steve had offered, refused his jacket.

"Oui," she nodded. "I've known about S.H.I.E.L.D. for a long time, almost my entire life."

"So you're not going to tell him about your community service?" Natasha spoke from the driver's seat.

"I'm getting there," the mutant rolled her eyes. "A few years ago-"

"Should you really be talking about your days as a villain in front of him?" Tony pointed to Loki.

"I don't see why I shouldn't," Libby shrugged. "If he's really got Barton and Selvig then he already knows about my days with the Brotherhood. And I see no reason to deny it."

"Libby, what did you do?" Steve asked.

"I was involved with a mutant gang that destroyed the San Francisco bridge and Alcatraz island," she summarized. "There may have been some deaths-"

"Voltage alone was responsible for the deaths of nearly forty people," Natasha added.

"A lot of people died," Libby explained. "And I took the fall so none of my friends would get into trouble. And… well, I have a certain skill set that the World Security Council didn't want to waste in prison, so here I am… Doing all of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s dirty work."

"Dirty work? Like what?"

"Like doing all the things that they can't or won't do," she explained as she crossed her arms. "You'll find most of what I do is morally grey."

"Okay, so now that that's out of the way," Tony said. "Have you found the Tesseract yet?"

"I told you, I won't start looking till the paper work clears and the paper work still hasn't cleared yet," Libby shook her head.

"It's been two days," Tony said. "It could be anywhere by now."

"Which won't matter after the paperwork has been finished," Libby told him. "Trust me. I can find and steal anything."

"Wait, steal?" Steve asked her.

"You heard me," she told him. "It's a skill I learned when I was a teenager."

"So what were you doing in Germany?"

"Like I told Tony, I was at the party Loki crashed into. I had a scientist friend going and he extended an invite. He's fine, if you're wondering, and knows and understands why I had to leave with you guys," Libby explained. "Now, what are we going to do about him?"

"Do you think he'll tell us where the Tesseract is?" Tony asked her.

"Probably not," Libby answered. "I wouldn't."

"I thought you get anyone to tell you anything," Natasha added from the front.

"Well, oui I can do that too," the mutant nodded. "But I'm not talking to Loki about the Tesseract till the paper work finishes."

"Since when do you care about following the rules?" Tony asked her.

"Since I was taken off the project simply because I told the council I couldn't work on another case anymore because I had taken it as far as I could go," she said. "Since they told me that because I wasn't going to do what they wanted, I couldn't do what I wanted. The way I see it, I'm finally doing what the Council wants."

"But why isn't everything electronic?" Tony asked. "It'd be faster that way."

"True, but they were afraid I'd fake something, you know, technopath, so they decided to make all changes done to my contract have to be via print, and they have to mail the contract to each Council member," the mutant explained. "It's great for stalling material, especially for the plot."

"Would it kill you to not be so stubborn for a change?" Steve asked her.

"Possibly," she told him. "I'm not going to apologize for not helping. Wherever Loki is keeping the Tesseract, we'll find it and stop him from using it whatever he's planning on using it for."

"Are you sure about that?" Tony asked her.

"Oui," the mutant nodded. "I'm very good at what I do, Pops. You should know that by now." She paused, and then turned her head towards the ceiling. "I sense something."

"What?" Natasha asked.

"Lighting, it's building," Libby said. "I'll try to stop us from getting hit."

"Can you stop the storm at all?" Natasha asked her.

"Not this one," Libby shook her head. "You two should buckle up, just in case." After she spoke, lightning flashed around them. The Quinjet rocked as Natasha tried to avoid the bolts. "Do I need to take over?"

"I got this," Natasha shrugged her off. Her hands tightly gripped onto the steering wheel.

"Where did this storm come from?" Tony asked.

"I have no idea," Libby answered. She looked up towards the ceiling, "Oh fuck." The Quinjet rocked heavily as something hit the roof.

"What?" Steve asked her.

"We have company," Libby said as she turned toward the ramp. The ramp was forced open, and a blond with a red cape jumped inside. Loki's shoulder's tensed and he looked towards the blond frightened. The blond took a half step towards the mischievous god, and then paused when he saw the mutant.

"Libby…?" Thor asked.

"Thor?" Libby took a step closer to him.

"You know him?" Steve shouted over the roar of the wind.

"It's a long story," Libby shouted back. She stood between the brothers and glared up at the blond god. "I can't let you take him."

"Watch me," Thor replied. He shoved Libby back, and she stumbled into Steve and Tony. Thor grabbed Loki by his collar and yanked him out of his seat. The dark-haired god made a grunt of protest while the mutant jumped to her feet. Thor took two strides towards the exit and started to swing his hammer. As he threw it into the sky, the mutant caught ahold of his cape.

"Libby!" Tony reached for her as Thor flew out of Quinjet, with Loki in his arms and Libby on his back.

"We have to get her back," Steve said as he stood.

"Yeah, I knew that," Tony said.

"We need a plan of attack," Steve said.

"I have a plan," Tony said as he walked towards the ramp. The Iron Man helmet lowered. "Attack." Tony jumped out of the Quinjet.

"Stark!" Steve yelled in protest. He groaned as he reached for shield. "I'm going after them."

"Careful Rogers, these guys come legend. They're basically gods," Natasha told him.

"Just because they're from legends doesn't make them gods," Steve retorted as he turned and jumped out.

**V**

Libby recalled hearing the god of thunder curse when he realized she had hitch-hiked onto his cape. She felt her skirt flap upwards, and she regretted not changing when she had the chance.

The mutant climbed up his cape and dug her fingers into his shoulder. She clung onto the god and tightly wrapped her legs around his waist. Thor turned to try to shake her off, and instead threw the trio off course.

They hadn't felt the tops of the trees as they ran through them. All any of them saw was a swirl of blues, blacks, dark greens, and Thor's vibrant red cape. They had gotten tangled, and the mutant's fingers slipped from the blond's shoulders and she was the first to hit a branch that didn't snap upon impact. She heard a crack, and knew it was a bone when she felt a pain shot up her spine. Loki smacked nearly on top of her, and the two of them rolled of the branch together.

"Fuck!" the mutant cried out as her right arm was bent awkwardly out of place. It hanged at her side as she continued to fall, breaking all of the flimsy twigs and branches before the two gods did. She heard both of them grunt and groan, and knew they weren't too far behind her. She landed on her back on a thick branch and screamed, and then rolled off the side limply.

Her head bounced off the dirt at the impact. She saw spots in her vision as she struggled to keep her eyes open. The world was tilted on its side, and all of the trees around her were tall with thick trunks.

She heard two more loud ompfs and could feel the two gods on the ground around her. She couldn't feel her legs, at least not at first, but after a few seconds and pops she could wriggle her toes again and felt something lying across her legs. When she was finally able to sit up, all of the scratches and bruises had healed, and her bare legs and arms were littered with dried blood, wood chips, and dirt. Her dress was torn in several places, and she was surprised it was still on her. Both of her straps were hanging off her, and one of the seems was torn.

"And I liked this one too," she groaned.

"Then buy a new one," Loki told her. The mutant's eyes found him, and she saw him smirking. Libby rolled her eyes as she yanked her feet out from under the god, and smirked when he grunted.

Libby slowly pushed herself up on her feet, and didn't care if her dress stayed on or not. Loki was laying not too far to her left, and Thor was just to right at the end of this particular tree's canopy.

"How are you still alive?" Thor demanded when he saw the mutant stand.

"I have an advanced immune system," the mutant explained. "Courtesy of my loving step-father, and the author who choose to make me pretty much indestructible. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," the god of thunder groaned. He slowly stood up on his own, while Loki still laid on the ground taking deep, calming breaths.

"I still can't let you take him," Libby said as she stood between them. "We need him if we want to find the Tesseract."

"And I need him as well, if I wish to return to Asgard," Thor rebuffed. "He needs to pay for his crimes."

"Which I'm sure he will," Libby rolled her eyes. "But first, we need him."

"I need him more!" Thor yelled.

"Calm your tits, Blondie," Libby crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm not letting you take him anywhere, not without me."

"Calm my what?" Thor scrunched his face. Loki laughed as he slowly stood on his feet.

"If I get a choice in the matter, I'd rather go with her," the mischievous god spoke. Libby turned her head to the side and Loki winked at her. The mutant rolled her brown eyes.

"Of course you do," Libby softly spoke. "Are you just saying that because you don't get along with him, or because I'm pretty much half-naked?"

"Either one," Loki responded.

"He is my brother, and he deserves Asgardian justice. I must take him back with me," Thor told her. He held out his hand and Mjölnir flew to him.

"I'm one of the last people you want to start a fight with, Blondie," Libby warned him. "Put Mjölnir down and I won't have to hurt you." The thunder god chuckled.

"Do you not know who I am?" Thor asked her.

"Funny, I could ask you the same question," Libby said as she shifted her weight and place her hands on her hips. Loki took a step back and watched both of them carefully. She felt the arc reactor getting closer to her, and knew soon that Tony would find her.

"You do not scare me, little one."

"I should," the mutant said. "Little John." Thor raised his throwing arm, ready to throw Mjölnir just as Iron Man landed between Thor and Libby.

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" Tony said as his helmet was raised, exposing his face.

"Tony, you're not much bigger than me," Libby told him. "He's still twice your size."

"Don't ruin my moment, I'm saving you," Tony harshly whispered to her.

"I don't need saving," the mutant told him. "I had everything under control."

"Then where's Loki?" Tony asked her.

"Fuck. You take care of Blondie, I'll find Loki," Libby cursed. She turned around and walked in the direction she thought Loki might have gone.

"This is none of your concern, Midgardian. Step aside," Thor said.

"It became my concern when you took my da-assistant," Tony retorted. He rapidly blinked as he corrected himself, and let out a small sigh of relief aftewards. _I hope Libby didn't hear that, _he thought.

"I did not take her," Thor defended. "She latched onto me."

"Were you not just threatening her, like thirty seconds ago?"

"She was insulting me!"

"Yeah, she does that to everyone," Tony explained.

"I will not return to Asgard without my brother, you cannot stop me," Thor said.

"When he gives up the Cube he's all your's. Till then stay out of my way," Tony told him as the helmet lowered. As he turned Thor threw Mjölnir and Tony went flying into a tree. "Okay. Not cool." He slowly stood. In his perphal vision he saw Libby slap Loki. Tony turned his attention back to Thor, and raised his right hand. He blasts the thunder god with an energy blast, and Thor flew back. _Take that, bitch!_ Tony thought.

Thor lifted Mjölnir into the air, summoning a bolt of lighting. He threw the bolt at Iron Man.

_"__Capacity at 400%," _Jarvis said.

"How about that?" Tony smirked. He fired at the god once again with his hand boosters, forcing the god to his knees. Thor glares up at the man and goes to raise Mjölnir again.

"Hey!" Steve interupted as he ran up to them. "That's enough!"

Both Tony and Thor look to Steve with wounded puppy eyes.

"I've come to put an end to Loki's schemes!" Thor announced, now glaring at the man in spandex.

"You're not doing a very good job of that," Steve told him. "Put the hammer down."

"Um, no he loves his ham-" Thor backhanded Tony with Mjölnir, sending him down to the ground.

"You want me to put the hammer down?!" Thor bellowed. He rose the hand holding Mjölnir to hit Steve with. The super solider prepared to duck beneth his shield when a bright blue spark flew and zapped Thor's throwing hand. Mjölnir fell from his grasp, nearly landing on the god's feet.

"What did I tell you about calming your tits, Blondie?!" Libby yelled as she walked back towards them. Her brown eyes were wide with rage, and all three of the men before her swore they saw a fire burning in her eyes.

"Uh-" Thor stuttered.

The mutant grabbed the god by his collar and dragged him down to her level.

"Loki comes with us till the Tesseract is safely returned. Got it?" she told him. Her body shook with rage, and Thor felt tingles of electricty shoot into his neck and shoulders.

"Yes ma'am," Thor quickly nodded.

She released her grip from him, but the god didn't move. Tony and Steve stared at her, both blinking and too terrified to say anything.

"Let's go. Romanoff is landing the Quinjet just beyound those trees, we've got a walk ahead of us," she told them, flatly.

"It'd be faster if I flew-" Tony said as he stood.

"We're not seperating," Libby interupted him. "We walk together. Understand?"

"If you insist," Tony rolled his eyes. Libby arched a brow at him, and he turned away from her.

"Aren't you the boss of her?" Steve quietly asked Tony.

"You don't know anything about women, do you Popsicle?" Tony shook his head.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Steve asked.

"Let's go, you can gossip about me when we're back on the Quinjet," Libby said. She had already started walking towards the direction of the Quinjet, the Asgardians on either side of her.

"So, are the two of you still seeing each other?" Tony asked Steve as they started walking.

"Why do you care?" Steve removed his cap. It was easier to think without it on.

"It's just a question," Tony said. "So, are you?"

"Kinda," Steve answered.

"Have you done it yet?"

"What?"

"You know, se-"

"Tony!" Libby shouted from the front as she turned and walked backwords. "Stay out of my sex life!"

"I'm just curious if-"

"Tony, I mean it," Libby warned him as she turned back around.

"Are you sure you're the boss?" Steve asked him. "It kinda seems like she walks all over you."

"We have a complicated relationship," Tony replied. "It's a long story."

"If you two don't stop arguing, I swear I'm going to lock you in a five by five cell till you get along," they heard Libby threaten the gods.

"She certinaly has her way with words," Steve remarked.

"Yeah, she probably gets it from her father," Tony smirked, mostly out of pride.

"I thought she didn't know who her biological father was."

"Just speculating," Tony lied.

Twigs crunched under their boots, and the duo heard loud conversing come from the trio in front of them.

"I will punch you in the balls, Odinson," Libby threatened the blond.

"Did she get that from her father too?" Steve asked.

"Probably," Tony laughed.

Steve turned his head to look at Tony, and saw a look in his eyes that he had reciongzed. His eyes, his deep brown eyes, were familiar in the same way Libby's was. They belonged to an old friend, one he hadn't seen in almost seventy years. It made sense why Tony had them. _But why does Libby have them? Unless…_ He looked at her, and then back at Tony. His lips parted for a moment, and then closed into a tight line. And suddenly, the puzzle that was Libby Dugan made much more sense.

[line]

So we've finally made it to the events of Avengers. I think I've mentioned this before, but just in case I'll bring it up again:

I'm not being canon with the MCU.

I know this whole chapter might've seemed rushed, but I think it works.

Friendly reminder that Steve and Libby have known each other for about nine or ten months (I don't do math, I'm a mass media major for a reason). It's safe to say they know each other pretty well, but also keep in mind that she's been lying to him for that entire time.

Some of the time gaps will be filled in later. Like that conversation she was having in the beginning of the chapter with a mysterious person? Yeah, we'll come back to that later. Also Voltage, an OC mutant, will also be explained in the next chapter.


End file.
